Any aortic valve replacement — surgical or minimally invasive — carries a degree of risk. That’s why such interventions are generally reserved for later stages of the disease.

If you’re newly diagnosed with aortic stenosis, or it isn’t causing symptoms, there is a very good chance you could live for years without requiring either of those procedures. But as with any cardiac problem, how you fare also depends on how you act.

Here are some tips for managing early symptoms of aortic stenosis that can help you avoid or delay surgery or other procedures:

• Follow a heart-heathy lifestyle. Eat a plant-based diet, don’t smoke, and exercise according to your doctor’s recommendations. These steps will reduce your risk for aortic stenosis and other heart ailments.

• Take cardiac medications exactly as prescribed. These drugs help take the pressure off an ailing heart valve. • Take antibiotics before medical tests or procedures that involve bleeding, such as major or even minor surgery. You are at risk of an infection called endocarditis, even if you’ve had a valve repair or replacement.

• Make sure your dentist knows any medications you are taking, and that you have valve disease so you can be given antibiotics before teeth cleanings and other procedures.

• Carry an identification card that indicates that you have heart valve disease. This will help doctors to understand how best to treat you in case of a cardiac event. You can get these cards from your doctor or download one from the American Heart Association.