The best replacement for exacerbation is aggravation.

The best alternatives to exacerbation are rated as following:
★★★★★  aggravation
★★  pneumonia
★  onset
★  remission
★  status asthmaticus
  copd
  status asthmatic us

Your alternative for exacerbation is not listed? Suggest!
Speaking about exacerbation, one probably shouldn't forget about copd.

Other search terms related to exacerbation and their ratings are:
★★★★★ copd
★★★★ asthma
★★★★ bronchitis
★★★ acute bronchitis
bronchiectasis
You have in mind a companion for exacerbation and it is not yet here? Propose!



Google Trends

Scale is based on the average worldwide traffic of exacerbation in all years. Click on graph for more.
exacerbation
aggravation
pneumonia