Abstract: Forty cases of essential hypertension （EH） were treated with metoprolol for 8 weeks. The results demonstrated that markedly effective rate and total effective rate were 60% and 82. 5%, respectively, with the best results observed in stage Ⅰor Ⅱ EH patients. No severe side effects were found in the course of therapy with metoprolol. The drug may be used as one of the first choice medicines in the treatment of stage Ⅰ,Ⅱ EH.