Patient–physician sex concordance and outcomes in cardiovascular disease: a systematic review

The sex disparity in outcomes of patients with cardiovascular disease is well-described and has persisted across recent decades. While there have been several proposed mechanisms to explain this disparity, there are limited data on female patient–physician sex concordance and its association with outcomes. The authors review the existing literature on the relationship between patient–physician sex concordance and clinical outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease, the evidence of a benefit in clinical outcomes with female patient–physician sex concordance, and the possible drivers of such a benefit and highlight directions for future study.