Final answer:
If an infant has a heart rate less than 60 bpm, immediate medical attention is necessary, including potential CPR, due to the critical nature of this finding as indicated by the Apgar score.
Step-by-step explanation:
If an infant has a heart rate less than 60 bpm, immediate medical action is required. According to the Apgar score, which is used shortly after birth to quickly summarize the health of newborn children, a heart rate below 60 beats per minute is critically low and may indicate the need for resuscitation or stabilization. The Apgar criteria, which includes heart rate, are assessed at 1 minute and again at 5 minutes after birth. An Apgar score lower than 7 may necessitate medical assistance, and a total score under 5 is an emergency situation. Normal newborn heart rates can be around 120 bpm and should not be less than 60 bpm.
It's important to address this issue promptly as bradycardia in infants could lead to inadequate oxygenation of tissues. In the case of a low heart rate such as this, it would likely involve initiating CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and providing appropriate medical interventions to support the infant's breathing and circulatory functions.