Abstract. Large industrial enterprises are located on the territory of the city of Cherepovets, which are potential sources of mercury entering the environment. The study involved residents of the Vologda Oblast without cardiovascular diseases (men n=82; women n=266) and with cardiovascular diseases (men n=192; women n=309). The average mercury content in the hair of the study participants was 0.572 0.686 mg/kg. In healthy men and men with cardiovascular diseases, the indicators of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase are statistically significantly (on average 1.2-1.5 times) higher than in women. A significant correlation was established between the concentration of ALT, AST from the amount of mercury in the hair of the study participants: in men ALT - RS=0.168, p 0.008 and AST- RS=0.183, p 0.004, respectively; in women ALT: RS=0.121, p 0.007, AST is not statistically significant RS=0.035 p 0.442. The increase in mercury affects the human body with cardiovascular diseases, increasing the enzymatic activity of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase. The causes of gender differences in CVD are: different reproductive function; different prevalence of autonomous regulation of vascular functions and stress; different features of the development and prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis.