In the medical world, two types of painkillers are readily available over the counter. One is the Aspirin, and the other is the Tylenol.
Doctors across the world prescribe these medicines after a thorough examination. Both of these drugs offer the same relief, but the main difference between Aspirin and Tylenol is the drug classes they belong to.
Aspirin is a Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drug (NSAID), while Tylenol is antipyretic and analgesic.
Key Takeaways
- Aspirin is anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic, while Tylenol primarily reduces pain and fever.
- Aspirin inhibits COX enzymes, preventing prostaglandin production; Tylenol targets the central nervous system with an unclear mechanism.
- Aspirin has blood-thinning properties, making it useful for cardiovascular issues; Tylenol is safer for those with stomach problems or bleeding disorders.
Aspirin vs Tylenol
Aspirin is a non-steroidal drug that prevents blood clot formation, treats inflammation and mild fever or pain, and reduces the risks of heart strokes. Tylenol is used as an analgesic as well as an antipyretic for treating mild and moderate migraine pain, arthritis, and menstrual cramps and for treating fever, respectively.
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Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Aspirin | Tylenol |
|---|---|---|
| Classification of the Drug | Aspirin falls under the drug category of a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug. | Tylenol is an antipyretic and analgesic drug |
| Prescribed for | Aspirin is strongly recommended for headaches, migraine, fever, and Rheumatoid arthritis. At times Aspirin helps prevent heart attacks as well as strokes. | Doctors prescribe Tylenol for body pain, common fever, and migraine |
| Medicine’s generic name | Aspirin itself is the generic name of the drug. | Acetaminophen is the generic name of Tylenol. |
| Impact area | Aspirin breaks down in the kidney. It is observed that continuous usage of Aspirin can cause kidney damage. | Tylenol breaks down in the liver. Liver damage is prone to people who regularly consume Tylenol. |
| Safety Factor | Aspirin has its side effects but is safer than Tylenol as people unintentionally consume it in overdoses. | Tylenol leads to more severe side effects than Aspirin because of people’s mentality toward consuming the drug. |
What is Aspirin?
Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, is a medicine doctors prescribe to cure mild fever, body pain, and inflammation. Aspirin is a prominent medicine that people around the world widely use.
Aspirin belongs to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug category. It is observed that Aspirin given after a heart attack intensely reduces the risk of death.
Scientists have found that prolonged use of Aspirin in low dosages can reduce the occurrence of heart attacks. It also can decrease the risk of a few cancer cells forming in the body.
Aspirin shows the effect within 30 minutes of consuming it. Doctors strongly recommend Aspirin for fever, migraine, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Aspirin was the very first Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug discovered. Aspirin is non-narcotic too.
The drug is not usually prescribed to kids below 16 years of age. This is pure because it may increase the risk of Reye’s syndrome.
The doctors do not prescribe Aspirin if the patient has a history of certain disorders. Aspirin is never prescribed for peptic ulcers, any bleeding disorder, or if the patient is undergoing any dental treatment. It must also be understood that Aspirin is never given for all strokes.
As few strokes are not caused due to blood clots, sometimes it may also worsen the condition.
What is Tylenol?
Tylenol acetaminophen is a medicine prescribed by doctors for mild fever and body pain. Acetaminophen is also known as Paracetamol.
Doctors strongly recommend Tylenol for headaches, migraine, muscle pains, toothaches, and fever. Tylenol belongs to the antipyretic and analgesic drug categories.
Tylenol is also prescribed for kids below 12 years. However, care must be taken in consuming it. It is advised to follow the doctor’s prescription for dosage levels strictly.
Prolonged usage of Tylenol for every other body pain and fever may cause trouble later. It has to be remembered that if a doctor has suggested Tylenol, that means that the relief is worth the side effects; this does not mean that it has to be taken whenever there is a fever.
It is dangerous for a pregnant woman to have Tylenol. It also has the dire effects of reaching breast milk, which may get the baby while feeding.
Tylenol is processed in the liver. Prolonged usage of it may cause liver damage. Tylenol is not anti-inflammatory. It means that the drug helps relieve the pain but does not get rid of the swelling from the body.
Main Differences Between Aspirin and Tylenol
- Doctors prescribe both these medicines for mostly similar diseases. However, they differ in their drug classes. Aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, whereas Tylenol is antipyretic and analgesic.
- It is clinically observed that Aspirin takes roughly 30 minutes to show its effect in the body; it is a quick reliever, whereas Tylenol takes much more time, say 45 minutes and above, to show its reaction.
- Aspirin breaks down in the kidney, while Tylenol breaks down in the liver.
- Aspirin is widely prescribed for preventing heart attacks and strokes, while Tylenol is strongly recommended for significant pain relief in the case of toothache, body aches, and headaches.
- Both have side effects; it is scientifically proven that prolonged aspirin usage may be safer than Tylenol.
- https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/2257796
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ijc.11311
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
