Final answer:
A medical assistant should identify arthritis, specifically rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as a medical disorder that involves inflammation of the joints. It is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting synovial joints and can cause joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. Diagnosis and treatment involve clinical assessments, blood tests, imaging studies, and medications to manage symptoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
When reviewing a patient's medical history, a medical assistant should identify arthritis as the medical disorder that involves inflammation of the joints. Arthritis can result in symptoms such as joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and reduced joint mobility. One of the most commonly discussed types is rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is a chronic inflammatory joint disease with autoimmune characteristics, primarily affecting the synovial joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis often presents symptoms like inflamed and painful joints, with affected areas typically being the hands, feet, and cervical spine. It can lead to serious complications like joint deformation and loss of movement if not treated effectively. Diagnosis is through clinical examination, blood tests identifying rheumatoid factor and other biomarkers, as well as imaging studies such as X-rays or MRI.
Treatments include anti-inflammatory medications, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, exercise, and possibly surgery. There is no cure currently, but ongoing research continues to seek better treatments and understanding of the disease's etiology, especially considering its autoimmune nature and impact on life quality.