We studied the association between of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) gene polymorphism and risk of essential hypertension development depending on alcohol drinking habit in unrelated men in Russian population (patients with essential hypertension and healthy volunteers). All participants were genotyped for four CYP2E1 gene polymorphisms -1293G>C (rs3813867), -1053C>T (rs2031920), 7632T>A (rs6413432), and 9896C>G (rs2070676) by PCR and restriction analysis. We found statistically significant associations between -1293C allele (OR=5.04, 95% CI=1.23-20.70, p=0.03) and -1293GC genotype (OR=5.36, 95% CI=1.28-22.50, p=0.03) with increased risk of essential hypertension in men. Stratified analysis on alcohol drinking habit showed that the presence of -1293C allele (OR=6.82, 95% CI=1.12-41.70, p=0.04) and -1293GC genotype (OR=7.61, 95% CI=1.2-48.4, p=0.03) in men with alcohol abuse increases the risk of essential hypertension. The obtained data suggest that excessive alcohol consumption and increased induction of cytochrome in the carriers of -1293C allele of CYP2E1 gene lead to generation of highly reactive free radical oxidation products. These processes induced oxidative stress and endothelial induction, which served as the pathogenetic basis for essential hypertension.