A method for classifying patients at risk for cardiovascular disease, other chronic inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular and/or non-cardiovascular morbidity and mortality based on a risk assessment for lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3) protein deficiency, and for mediating the risk using recombinant lymphocyte activation gene-3 or LAG-3 mimetic as a companion therapeutic alone or in combination with a statin and/or an anti-hyperlipidemic drug. The risk assessment is two-prong, beginning with a qualitative determination whether a subject has or is predisposed to abnormal expression of inflammasomes, heightened risk for inflammation and/or to dysfunctional HDL, followed by a quantitative assay or genetic screen for a polymorphism that occurs in the coding sequence of the LAG3 gene. Given positive indication, recombinant LAG3 and/or LAG3 mimetic is used alone or in combination with the therapeutic use of a cholesterol mediating drug for treatment.