To investigate the influence of the presence of oedema on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of furosemide (frusemide) we selected 9 hospitalised patients (mean age 70.3 years, range 59 to 84 years) with severe congestive heart failure (NYHA III to IV) and an assessed amount of peripheral oedema of at least 5kg. In these patients the absorption of a single oral dose of furosemide 250mg was studied when their heart failure was decompensated and again, after intensive therapy, when it was clinically compensated. The mean (± SEM) weight loss after clinical treatment was 12.0 ± 2.2kg. Individual furosemide plasma concentration-time curves could be fitted adequately to a 1-compartment model with 1 first-order absorption and elimination process, in which absorption took place in 2 parts with different lag times. Comparing the decompensated state with the compensated state we did not find significant differences in pharmacodynamics, absorption half-life, elimination half-life, time to peak serum concentration, peak serum concentration itself and area under the plasma concentration-time curve. However, the relative amount of furosemide absorbed in the first fraction was significantly increased after compensation. We conclude that the presence of massive oedema in patients with congestive heart failure has a minor influence on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of high dose oral furosemide.