Welcome to the website of the PRAETORIAN studies!
The studies are initiated by the Amsterdam UMC which is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The principle investigator of the studies is Reinoud E. Knops, M.D. PhD. He is supported by a team comprises co-investigators, physicians, a trial managment and research assistance.
The studies were named after the Praetorian guard which was an elite unit of the Imperial Roman army whose members served as personal body guards and intelligence for the Roman emperors. The implantable cardio defibrillator (ICD) is a personal guard of the heart. The device is monitoring the heart rhythm and gives therapy if necessary to prevent of death from ventricular arrhythmia.
In 2010 the entirely subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD) has been introduced, eliminating the use for transvenous lead placement in or on the heart which is mandatory in the transvenous ICD (TV-ICD).
The PRAETORIAN studies aim to investigate multiple aspects of treatment with the S-ICD.
There are more than 50 medical centers in the EU and US participating in the various PRAETORIAN studies.
Click here for an overview of the PRAETORIAN network.