Coronary slow flow and myocardial contractile reserve: a speckle‑tracking echocardiography study

Patients with CSF exhibit distinct subclinical longitudinal dysfunction at rest, likely attributable to elevated resting microvascular resistance. However, the preservation of contractile reserve during physiological stress suggests that the underlying microvascular dysfunction is predominantly functional and reversible. 2D-STE provides incremental diagnostic value over conventional angiography in stratifying the pathophysiology of INOCA.