Diagnostic tests and methods for characterizing an individual's risk of having or developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), monitoring an individual's response to intervention aimed at preventing or reducing CVD, assessing an individual's risk of experiencing an adverse cardiovascular event, and/or determining whether a subject requires intervention as a result of being at risk of having CVD are described. The methods are useful for identifying those individuals who are in need of intervention aimed at reducing the risk or severity of CVD as well as those individuals who do not require aggressive intervention targeted at preventing CVD.