Abstract-Cytochrome (CYP) 4A11 and CYP4F2 are responsible for renal production of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, a vasoconstrictor and natriuretic substance. The CYP4A11 F434S and CYP4F2 V433M polymorphisms reduce 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid production in vitro. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of these polymorphisms on blood pressure (BP) levels, hypertension prevalence, and risk of incident cardiovascular events in middle-aged Swedes. The polymorphisms were genotyped in the cardiovascular cohort of the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study. The incidence of cardiovascular events (coronary events, nϭ276; ischemic stroke, nϭ199) was monitored over 10 years of follow-up. The analysis of BP levels was performed twice: either excluding or including subjects under antihypertensive treatment. In the whole population, CYP4A11 S434S homozygotes had higher systolic BP, both crude and adjusted for the number of antihypertensive drugs, and higher prevalence of hypertension with respect to F434 carriers. Male, but not female, CYP4F2 M433 carriers had significantly higher crude and adjusted systolic and diastolic BPs and a trend toward higher hypertension prevalence (Pϭ0.06) with respect to V433V homozygotes. After adjustment for major cardiovascular risk factors, the hazard ratio for incident ischemic stroke in male CYP4F2 M433 carriers was significantly higher with respect to V433V homozygotes (hazard ratio: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.10 to 2.60) even when baseline BP levels and hypertension prevalence were included in the Cox proportional hazard model. A common CYP4F2 V433M polymorphism might increase the risk of incident ischemic stroke in male subjects only partially through its elevating effect on BP. Additional studies are needed to confirm these data. 1 In the human kidney, 20-HETE is generated through 2 isoforms, CYP4A11 and CYP4F2. 2 Interestingly, mice with targeted disruption of CYP4A14, a murine homologue of CYP4A11, have a severe form of hypertension that has been shown to be testosterone dependent, suggesting a complex interplay between CYPs, sex hormones, and blood pressure (BP). 3 A few studies in humans have tried to unravel the relation between 20-HETE excretion and salt sensitivity, and, more recently, it was found that patients with renovascular and essential hypertension had a diminished excretion of 20-HETE with respect to normotensive control subjects. 4 -8 Functional studies have shown that 2 nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) resulting in a phenylalanine-to-serine substitution at amino acid 434 (F434S) 9 for the CYP4A11 and in a methionine-tovaline substitution at amino acid 433 (V433M) 10 of the CYP4F2 lead to proteins with a significantly reduced arachidonic acid metabolizing activity. Moreover, the CYP4A11 F434S polymorphism has been associated with hypertension prevalence and/or with higher systolic BP in different samples. 9,11 For the CYP4F2 V433M polymorphism, only 1 study exists to evaluate its effect on BP, 12 whereas the potential role of both polymorphisms on ...