Can a stomach PEG or BP meds cause chronic coughing?

Yes, there can be aspiration as a complication from the PEG.

Your aunt should NEVER lie flat, even when asleep; the head of the bed should be elevated 30 degrees in order to prevent aspiration. Such a position may help the COPD some, too.

If she is on a feeding pump, the volume of the output should be reduced; just have it on for longer hours to compensate.

If she is on bolus feedings, cut back to one can every 3 hours or so.

She should have nothing by mouth, including the Robitussin. You may know that the sequence of events during swallowing is disrupted in COPD patients, and many DO end up on a feeding tube.

As for the dry mouth, she can rinse out her mouth with water from time to time.

An alternative to the PEG would be a jeujenostomy, which is placed at the very beginning of the small intestine, and you may want to consider it if she continues to aspirate.

you mentioned BP meds in your question, what medication is she currently on? some BP meds (especially ACE inhibitors) do cause a chronic cough in certain patients.

The following BP drugs can cause a cough: (I gave the brand name with the generic name)

Lotensin (benazepril)

Accupril (Quinapril)

Zestril (lisinopril)

Capoten (captopril)

Monopril (fosinopril)

Vasotec (enalapril)

Altace (ramipril)

If the BP meds are the cause of her coughing, contact her doctor, they may be able to switch medications for her, but it is higly likely that if one ACE inhibitor causes a cough for her, they all will unfotunately. It states in the drug literature that the coughing usually subsides after a month, so maybe if this is a new medication for her, the cough will go away soon.

Hope this helps