Re: Is Asprin the same as Advil and ibuprofen? If not please explain..

Dear Tara:

No, aspirin is not the same as Advil (which is a commercial name for 
ibuprofen) or acetominophen (which goes by the trade name Tylenol, among 
others).  Aspirin is also known as acetylsalicylic acid, which is made 
from salicylic acid found in willow tree bark.  Ibuprofen and 
acetominophen have different chemical formulas and come from different 
sources than aspirin, although all three are pain reducers and fever 
reducers.  Only aspirin is linked to Reye's Syndrome, although I believe 
that a prescription is still needed to administer ibuprofen to small 
children.

Reye's Syndrome was first described as a syndrome in 1963 in Australia, 
although Reye's-like reports appear in the medical literature before that 
time (1).  Reye's Syndrome occurs after a viral infection, like the flu or 
chicken pox, after the patient appears to be recovering. It usually occurs 
in children aged 4 to 12, although reports exist of Reye's Syndrome 
victims that are over 20.  It is characterized by high fever, vomiting, 
liver problems and mental disorientation.  Critically, the brain cells 
swell in Reye's Syndrome, which can lead to coma and death.  It is this 
brain swelling that has been closely associated with aspirin use (2,3,4).  
So it is strongly recommended that young people not take aspirin for 
fevers related to the flu or chicken pox.

Although Reye's Syndrome is a frightening occurrence, its incidence has 
declined dramatically since the public has become aware of the potential 
dangers of aspirin in children.  In the United States, no more than 2 
cases per year of Reye's Syndrome were reported from 1994-1997, again 
thought to be due to the removal of aspirin from products intended for 
children (2).  Even though we know what the inciting agents for Reye's 
Syndrome are (aspirin + viral infection), we do not know why the syndrome 
occurs.  We do know that cells from Reye's Syndrome patients have a harder 
time metabolizing aspirin (5), but this is only a glimmer of 
understanding.  

I hope this has been of help!  If you have any more questions, please feel 
free to e-mail me again!

Take care-
Ingrid Dodge


References:

1)  Belay ED, Bresee JS, Holman RC, Khan AS, Shahriari A, Schonberger 
LB.  "Reye's Syndrome in the United States from 1981 through 1997."  New 
England Journal of Medicine, 340(18): 1377-1382, 6 May 1999.

2)  Monto AS.  "The Disappearance of Reye's Syndrome - A Public Health 
Triumph."  New England Journal of Medicine, 340(18): 1423-1424, 6 May 1999.

3)  American Liver Foundation website

4)  Hall SM, Lynn R.  "Reye's Syndrome."  New England Journal of Medicine, 
341(11): 845-846, 9 September 1999.

5)  Glasgow JF, Middleton B, Moore R, Gray A.  "The Mechanism of 
Inhibition of Beta-oxidation by Aspirin Metabolites in Skin Fibroblasts 
from Reye's Syndrome Patients and Controls."  Biochimica et Biophysica 
Acta, 1454(1): 115-125, 31 May 1999.