When assessing a client taking fluphenazine and benztropine, which finding indicates that the benztropine is effective?

The effectiveness of benztropine in a client who is taking fluphenazine can be indicated by a decrease in facial muscle spasms. Benztropine is an anticholinergic medication commonly used to manage extrapyramidal side effects associated with antipsychotic medications like fluphenazine. These extrapyramidal symptoms can include muscle spasms, particularly acute dystonia, which manifests as abnormal posture and involuntary muscle contractions.

When benztropine is effective, it helps to alleviate these symptoms by balancing the neurotransmitters in the brain and reducing the excessive activities that cause muscle spasms. Therefore, a decrease in facial muscle spasms would signify that the medication is working as intended to mitigate the side effects induced by fluphenazine.

In terms of other potential findings, an increase in facial muscle spasms or worsening of acute dystonia would suggest that the benztropine is not effective, and thus further intervention may be needed. Observing no change in symptoms could also imply that the medication is not having an effect, making a decrease in spasms the more favorable outcome to look for when assessing treatment efficacy.