BACKGROUND: Laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation usually induce tachycardia and hypertension. Various drugs including esmolol and fentanyl have been employed to reduce the cardiovascular response accompanying laryngoscopy and intubation. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of low dose sufentanil with esmolol in reducing hypertension and tachycardia induced by endotracheal intubation. METHODS: Forty surgical patients from Kosin medical hospital were randomly assigned to receive either normal saline (n = 20, control group) or sufentanil (0.3 microgram/kg) with esmolol (1 mg/kg) (n = 20, S