A method for determining whether a human subject is at risk to develop one or more CV complications, wherein the one or more CV complications are one or more of AMI (acute myocardial infarction), ACS (acute coronary syndrome), stroke, or CV death, and wherein the method comprises (a) determining in a biological sample obtained from the human subject the concentration of at least one ceramide of Formula III: wherein R 1 is a mono-unsaturated alkyl chain having 13 carbon atoms or a di-unsaturated alkyl chain having 15 carbon atoms, and wherein R 2 is a saturated alkyl chain having 21-23 or 25 carbon atoms, and wherein the biological sample is a blood sample, blood serum sample, a blood plasma sample, or a lipoprotein fraction obtained therefrom; (b) determining in the biological sample from the human subject the concentration of at least one ceramide of Formula IV: wherein R 1 is a mono-unsaturated alkyl chain having 13 carbon atoms and R 2 is a saturated alkyl chain having 15 or 17 carbon atoms, a mono-unsaturated alkyl chain having 23 carbon atoms, or a di-unsaturated alkyl chain having 23 carbon atoms; or wherein R 1 is a di-unsaturated alkyl chain having 15 carbon atoms and R 2 is a saturated alkyl chain having 15 or 17 carbon atoms, a mono-unsaturated alkyl chain having 21-23 carbon atoms, or a di-unsaturated alkyl chain having 23 carbon atoms; (c) comparing the concentration of the at least one ceramide of Formula III and the concentration of the at least one ceramide of Formula IV to a control sample; and (d) determining that the human subject has an increased risk of developing one or more CV complications, if the biological sample contains a decreased concentration of the at least one ceramide of Formula III and an increased concentration of the at least one ceramide of Formula IV, as compared to the control sample. (a) determining in a biological sample obtained from the human subject the concentration of at least one ceramide of Formula III: wherein R 1 is a mono-unsaturated alkyl chain having 13 carbon atoms or a di-unsaturated alkyl chain having 15 carbon atoms, and wherein R 2 is a saturated alkyl chain having 21-23 or 25 carbon atoms, and wherein the biological sample is a blood sample, blood serum sample, a blood plasma sample, or a lipoprotein fraction obtained therefrom; (b) determining in the biological sample from the human subject the concentration of at least one ceramide of Formula IV: wherein R 1 is a mono-unsaturated alkyl chain having 13 carbon atoms and R 2 is a saturated alkyl chain having 15 or 17 carbon atoms, a mono-unsaturated alkyl chain having 23 carbon atoms, or a di-unsaturated alkyl chain having 23 carbon atoms; or wherein R 1 is a di-unsaturated alkyl chain having 15 carbon atoms and R 2 is a saturated alkyl chain having 15 or 17 carbon atoms, a mono-unsaturated alkyl chain having 21-23 carbon atoms, or a di-unsaturated alkyl chain having 23 carbon atoms; (c) comparing the concentration of the at least one ceramide of Formula III and the concentration of the at least one ceramide of Formula IV to a control sample; and (d) determining that the human subject has an increased risk of developing one or more CV complications, if the biological sample contains a decreased concentration of the at least one ceramide of Formula III and an increased concentration of the at least one ceramide of Formula IV, as compared to the control sample.