Are Advil And Ibuprofen The Same?
In our latest question and answer, our pharmacist discusses whether or not 'Advil' and 'Ibuprofen' are the same.
Hello, I just want to double-check something. Are Advil and ibuprofen the same thing?
Aug 11, 2022- Advil is a brand name for ibuprofen, which is the active ingredient in the original Advil product. Many Advil products contain additional ingredients beyond ibuprofen, such as acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, or decongestants. When someone says "Advil," they usually mean ibuprofen, but always check the label to see what ingredients are actually in the specific product you're using.
Answer
Hi there and thanks for reaching out to us!
'Advil' is commonly used to refer to ibuprofen, since ibuprofen is the active ingredient in, what I'll call, the 'original' Advil product.
Below is an image of the packaging of Advil that shows ibuprofen as the active ingredient:
Remember That Advil Is A Brand Name
It is important to note that 'Advil' is a brand name owned by GlaxoSmithKline, which markets several different products under the Advil name. Many of these Advil products contain multiple active ingredients, not just ibuprofen. All of the following are examples of 'Advil' products that contain more than just ibuprofen:
- Advil Dual Action (ibuprofen; acetaminophen)
- Advil PM (ibuprofen; diphenhydramine)
- Advil Multi-Symptom Cold & Flu (ibuprofen; phenylephrine; chlorpheniramine)
- Advil Cold & Sinus (ibuprofen; pseudoephedrine)
For all intents and purposes, if someone refers to 'Advil', they typically mean ibuprofen. Nevertheless, as described above, Advil could be referring to any of Advil's family of products.
Final Words
I hope this answer helped and please feel free to reach back out in the future!Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Ibuprofen
- A pain reliever and anti-inflammatory medication commonly used to reduce fever and ease aches.
- Active ingredient
- The substance in a medication that produces the intended therapeutic effect on the body.
- Brand name
- A trademarked name given to a product by a company, which may differ from the generic name of the drug.
- Acetaminophen
- A pain reliever and fever reducer commonly used in over-the-counter medications.
- Diphenhydramine
- An antihistamine used to reduce allergy symptoms and promote sleep.
- Phenylephrine
- A decongestant that narrows blood vessels to relieve nasal congestion.
- Pseudoephedrine
- A decongestant medication used to relieve stuffy nose and sinus pressure.
- Chlorpheniramine
- An antihistamine used to relieve allergy and cold symptoms like sneezing and itching.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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