A growth on the artery wall is 'choking off' the blood supply.
He was 'choking back tears' as he talked about his late wife.
She 'choked' to death. = She died by 'choking'.
(..) Narrator: The new black hole in the middle Keeps feeding on the body of the star around it. It eats the gas so fast, it chokes and coughs, Blasting out huge beams of energy. Dr. Plait: They basically eat their way out from the star. This happens in milliseconds. (..)2010 TvShow: How the Universe Works Title: Black Holes Season: 1 Episode 2