Oxygen is an essential element for living organisms. It is involved in cellular metabolism and catabolism and permits production of energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The variation of the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood affects the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, cellular metabolism, and the central nervous system. Deprivation of oxygen, resulting in tissue hypoxia, results in a rapid deterioration of myocardial and central nervous activity. Intervention with oxygen therapy is essential for the resolution of adequate tissue oxygenation.
