Answer:
The damage will get worse faster if the patient continues to smoke.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the author of the text says "The deterioration will be exacerbated if the patient continues to smoke" he is saying that the disease and the damage it causes will get worse and worse if the patient continues to smoke. That is, to contain the disease and the problems it causes, the patient has to decrease the frequency in which he smokes, the ideal would be to stop smoking instead, but as this is not always easy, the patient can go down to a stop. with the difficult if you wish to achieve healing.
This reduction in tobacco use should be done quickly, as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease damages lungs quickly.