ISDN

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

ISDN
Stands forIntegrated Services Digital Network
Meanings2
CategoriesTechnology & Computing, Medical

ISDN has two meanings. It stands for Integrated Services Digital Network (telecom) or Isosorbide dinitrate (drug).

Meanings of ISDN at a glance

#ISDN stands forContext
1Integrated Services Digital NetworkTechnology & Computing › Telecom
2Isosorbide dinitrateMedical › Drug

1. Integrated Services Digital Network

Technology & Computing · Telecom Abbreviations

Digital telephone service standard that carries voice and data over ordinary copper lines in 64 kbit/s channels. It was widely used by businesses and broadcasters from the late 1980s and offered early "fast" internet access before DSL.

Example: The radio station used an ISDN codec for crystal-clear interviews from remote studios.

Basic Rate Interface provides two 64 kbit/s B channels plus a 16 kbit/s D channel for signaling, while Primary Rate Interface bundles 23 channels in North America or 30 in Europe. ISDN was especially popular in Germany and Japan. Operators across Europe have retired or are retiring ISDN as they move to IP networks.

2. Isosorbide dinitrate

Medical · Drug Abbreviations

Oral nitrate used to prevent angina and, combined with hydralazine, to treat heart failure. It is the nitrate component of BiDil, approved by the FDA in 2005 specifically for self-identified Black patients with heart failure.

Example: Hydralazine 37.5 mg/ISDN 20 mg (BiDil) TID added to GDMT.

BiDil's approval followed the A-HeFT trial (2004), which showed a large survival benefit in Black patients, and it was the first US drug approved for a specific racial group, a decision still debated. ISDN requires multiple daily doses and a nitrate-free interval to avoid tolerance.

More telecom abbreviations

  • ICCID – Integrated Circuit Card Identifier
  • IMEI – International Mobile Equipment Identity
  • IMS – IP Multimedia Subsystem
  • IMSI – International Mobile Subscriber Identity
  • IVR – Interactive voice response
  • LEO – Low Earth orbit
  • LTE – Long Term Evolution
  • LTE-A – LTE-Advanced

See all 114 telecom abbreviations →

More drug abbreviations

  • HCTZ – Hydrochlorothiazide
  • HQ – Hydroquinone
  • IFN – Interferon
  • INH – Isoniazid
  • ISMN – Isosorbide mononitrate
  • IVIG – Intravenous immunoglobulin
  • IVMP – Intravenous methylprednisolone
  • KCl – Potassium chloride

See all 170 drug abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.