Background: Cardiovascular diseases, including dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and hypertension, are the leading cause of death worldwide.The role of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the pathogenesis of these diseases has not been completely clarified.In this study, we evaluate whether A8701G mutation is associated with matally inherited hypertension and DCM in a Chinese pedigree of a consanguineous marriage.Methods: Fourteen subjects in a three-generation Han Chinese family with hypertension and DCM, in which consanguineous marriage was present in the parental generation, were interviewed.We divided all the family members into case (7 matal members) and control group (7 nonmatal members) for comparison.Clinical evaluations and sequence analysis ofmtDNA were obtained from all participants.Frequency differences between matal and nonmatal members were tested to locate the disease-associated mutations.Results: The majority of the family members presented with a matal inheritance of hypertension and DCM.Sequence analysis of mtDNA in this pedigree identified eight mtDNA mutations.Among the mutations identified, there was only one significant mutation: A8701G (P =0.005), which is a homoplasmic mitochondrial missense mutation in all the matrilineal relatives.There was no clear evidence for any synergistic effects between A8701G and other mutations.Conclusions: A8701G mutation may act as an inherited risk factor for the matrilineal transmission of hypertension and DCM in conj unction with genetic disorders caused by consanguineous marriage.