Can the spitting cause coughing and choking? My mom coughed while lying down. I got her up because it freaked me out. Can this cause death?

This is kind of vague. You might want to explain what you're talking about.

Spitting? Spitting what?
What ails your mom in general? What do you wonder could cause death -- coughing while lying down?

More details, please.

Your profile states your mother has Alzheimer's but you're "not trying to cease her spitting" which makes no sense, really. Sounds like you're trying to care for a seriously ill woman at home because she said she "didn't want to go into a home" before she became ill. Those are the sorts of promises that often have to be broken when we find ourselves in way over our heads with caregiver responsibilities we don't know how to deal with.

Check with your mom's doctor about her symptoms and spitting, coughing episodes and what can be done to deal with them. When in doubt about what could be a life threatening event, call 911. With elders suffering from Alzheimer's and choking, literally anything can cause death, especially as they develop swallowing issues when the disease progresses. Visit alz.org to learn about the stages of AD and what to expect.

Good luck

There are wedges you can get that will elevate Mom. Or roll a blanket or more and place between the mattress and boxspring to elevate.

I agree, Mom needs a swallow eval.