[Hyperbaric medicine].

Hyperbaric Medicine studies the physiology and the treatment of pathologies in an environment with above-atmospheric pressure. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, consists in administering 100% oxygen at pressures higher than atmospheric pressure (usually 2 to 3 times higher). This therapy is increasingly used in a wide range of clinical areas, treating both ambulatory and inpatients, including those critically ill. Nevertheless, it involves mechanisms sometimes poorly understood and somewhat complex facilities. This article aims to spread the word about Hyperbaric Medicine in Portugal, contribute to a better understanding of its physiological basis, and review its indications, risks and clinical utility.