The present invention relates to a method for the stratification of a subject having an acute or a chronic disease, wherein the disease affects endothelial function/dysfunction, comprising the steps of (i) taking a sample of bodily fluid from the subject; (ii) determining in the sample of bodily fluid the concentration of a vasoactive hormone or fragments thereof or precursors or fragments thereof having a length of at least 12 amino acid residues; (iii) stratifying the subjects into either of the categories: (a) responder to a medication for treatment of the disease, (b) non-responder to a medication for treatment of the disease not showing an unfavorable effect after having received the medication; (c) subjects showing an unfavorable effect after having received the medication. The invention also relates to the use of an antibody or a functional fragment thereof in the method according to the invention.