Choking & Passing Out

Hi,
My father has been a heavy smoker for almost 35 years. For about 6 months now, 3 times a week, he gets coughing fits like he's choking and a short while later passes out. When it happens he's never eating anything or drinking anything, he just chokes on his own spit, I guess. It also only takes a VERY short time. Between 10-20 seconds before he passes out. He says it feels like he swallows wrong.
Other objective things my family has noticed about him is that he has very red skin, his stomach seems swollen and he doesn't eat as much as he usually does.
While searching the internet and reading pathology books, I cannot find anything that has many of these symptoms, only one or two.
So I was just curious if anybody knew what it could be?  thanks!

[kathyjo]

we aren't docs so my advice is to take him to one. Sounds like a VERY serious complication of smoking!
Good luck!

[towngirl]

im 15 and i smoked a cigerette this morning and i felt like i was gonna pass out i ran to the bathroom and puked up no food just a lot of white foamy stomach acid stuff, and i was just wondering if that is really abnormal, so if any one has any advice or explinations please comment cause im really scared