1. Proper activity is necessary after surgery Heart valve replacement surgery does not mean no activity. Many people have a significant increase in activity after surgery compared to before surgery, improving their quality of life. Proper exercise improves your strength and endurance, which results in more efficient heart muscle contraction. Aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming or cycling, can improve cardiovascular status. Therefore, it is necessary to ask your doctor to give you advice on exercise. 2. Prevent edema and infection Post-operative edema can increase the burden on the heart. To prevent edema, your doctor will advise you to use a low-salt diet. In addition, you should monitor your weight frequently and tell your doctor if your weight changes by more than 1 kg in a day, or if you feel shortness of breath, gas, observe swelling in your ankles and hands. Bacteria from teeth and skin wounds entering the bloodstream may lead to infective endocarditis, where the lesion is present in the tissue surrounding the prosthetic valve and the application of antibiotics is the best treatment. Although the scope of the infection is limited, it still needs to be taken seriously, so you must consult with your cardiologist when it is necessary to deal with dental problems and before other surgical procedures are done. 3. Several questions about anticoagulation Your doctor will have you take anticoagulant medication to prevent blood from coagulating around the prosthetic valve, and the dose of the medication is determined by the indications of blood tests. In order to take anticoagulant medications properly, you must have regular blood tests and take other medications (including aspirin-based), which must be directed by your doctor. Your dentist and other physicians should be made aware that you are taking anticoagulant medications for a long time and that if other treatments are needed, the anticoagulant medications should be adjusted in advance. Food and alcohol can affect anticoagulation; let your doctor know your diet and make appropriate adjustments. Notify your doctor immediately if the following symptoms occur: unexplained bruising; excessive bleeding from small skin wounds; hematuria; unexplained nosebleeds; bleeding gums. 4.A few words of advice for life after valve replacement The quality of life after heart valve replacement should be improved compared with that before surgery, but you should still be careful to protect your heart, and the following words of advice should help your heart’s health: tell your doctor promptly about any symptoms of edema; let your dentist and other doctors know that you have had heart valve replacement surgery and adjust your medications ahead of time when performing related medical treatments; take anticoagulant medications exactly as prescribed; and take them regularly. Take anticoagulant medication as prescribed by your doctor; take regular blood tests to adjust the dosage of anticoagulant medication; do physical exercise under the guidance of your doctor; have a good diet and follow your doctor’s advice more often; be optimistic and open-minded in your life, keep a normal heart and be able to control your bad moods.