OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between the alpha-adducin (ADD1) gene G460W and the G-protein beta 3-subunit (GNB3) gene C825T polymorphisms and essential hypertension (EH) in a northern Chinese Han population. METHODS Peripheral blood samples were collected from 256 hypertensive patients and 495 normotensive controls. Polymerase chain reaction combined with restriction enzyme digestion was used to detect the polymorphisms of ADD1 and GNB3 genes. Their body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose and blood uric acid levels were also determined. RESULTS The allele frequencies of the ADD1 gene G460W and the GNB3 gene C825T polymorphisms were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The WW frequency in the EH group was 35.2%, significantly higher than that in the normal group (27.4%, chi(2) = 4.768, P = 0.029, OR = 1.43). Adjusted for the conventional risk factors of hypertension, alpha-adducin polymorphism still played an independent role on systolic blood pressure. The genotypes CC, CT, and TT of the GNB3 gene in the EH group were 20%, 52%, and 28% respectively, not significantly different from those in the control group (21%, 53%, and 26% respectively, P = 0.755). The frequencies of the alleles C and T of the GNB3 gene C825T were 46% and 54% respectively, not significantly different from those of the normotensive controls (47% and 53% respectively, P = 0.561). Body mass index, blood lipids, and glucose level did not differ significantly among the three genotype groups in both EH and normotensive control groups. CONCLUSIONS The alpha-adducin gene may be a susceptible gene to EH in northern Chinese Han population, however, the GNB3 gene C825T polymorphism may not play a significant role in EH in the same population.