Hi Mike, thanks for your question. Metoprolol belongs to a class of drugs (beta blockers) which slows down heart rate and is given to patients with heart disease and high blood pressure. Metoprolol or another drug from its class is almost always prescribed to patients after heart vessel surgery. However, sometimes it can slow down heart rate to below normal range especially when taken in higher than required dose, in which case the drug is either discontinued or a smaller dose is given. There are a wide range of medications available for high blood pressure like; calcium channel blockers, diuretics, ACEIs, ARBs, etc. I would recommend that you see your doctor who can prescribe safe dose of a beta blocker or a drug from another class while considering your specific needs. Hope this helps and please don t hesitate to ask for further clarification.