Eleven obese subjects (weight 114 +/- 11 kg, mean +/- SE) and 11 age-matched subjects with normal body weight (61 +/- 3 kg) were given 600 mg of ibuprofen orally after an overnight fast. Peak ibuprofen concentration was significantly decreased in obese subjects (P less than 0.02), although the time from administration to peak concentration was not different. Ibuprofen volume of distribution was increased in obese subjects, and this increased distribution correlated positively with body weight (r = 0.82; P less than 0.001). Volume of distribution corrected for body weight was decreased in obese subjects, and this decrease correlated negatively with body weight. Ibuprofen clearance was also increased in obese subjects; the increase correlated positively with body weight (r = 0.81; P less than 0.001). Since the independent variables, volume of distribution and clearance, were increased in parallel in the obese subjects, the dependent variable, elimination half-life, was unchanged. Using mean values of distribution calculated from the 2 groups, ibuprofen distribution into body weight in excess of ideal body weight was found to be approximately 0.44 times as extensive as the distribution into ideal body weight. Furthermore, ibuprofen clearance increased in parallel with the volume of distribution and total body weight. Clinically, these data indicate that in obese patients, the ibuprofen dose may be increased without changing the dose interval, in order to achieve necessary plasma concentrations.