Methods for characterizing a test subject's, particularly a human test subject's, risk of having cardiovascular disease or developing cardiovascular disease are provided. Also provided are methods for characterizing a test subject's risk of experiencing a complication of cardiovascular disease near term. The methods comprise determining levels of one or more carbamylated biomarkers in a bodily fluid of the test subject and/or comparing these levels with a reference value. In certain embodiments, the carbamylated biomarkers are carbamylated albumin, carbamylated fibrinogen, carbamylated immunoglobulin and carbamylated apolipoprotein A. In other embodiments, particularly where the test subject does not have clinical evidence of renal disease, the carbamylated biomarker is free and/or total peptide-bound homocitrulline.