Revenue (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
Revenue (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) segment
Revenue
Number of reportable segments \| segment									4	4	4
Net Sales	$ 8,314	$ 8,076	$ 7,979	$ 7,535	$ 7,765	$ 7,656	$ 7,767	$ 7,390	$ 31,904	$ 30,578	$ 27,390
Minimum
Revenue
Settlement of rebate after sale									1 month
Period cash discounts are known after sale									15 days
Maximum
Revenue
Settlement of rebate after sale									6 months
Period cash discounts are known after sale									30 days
U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									$ 11,398	10,839	9,673
Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									20,506	19,739	17,717
Established Pharmaceutical Products
Revenue
Net Sales									4,486	4,422	4,287
Established Pharmaceutical Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									4,486	4,422	4,287
Nutritional Products
Revenue
Net Sales									7,409	7,229	6,925
Nutritional Products \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									3,110	3,075	3,031
Nutritional Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									4,299	4,154	3,894
Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net Sales									7,713	7,495	5,616
Diagnostic Products \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									2,887	2,717	1,817
Diagnostic Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									4,826	4,778	3,799
Medical Devices
Revenue
Net Sales									12,239	11,370	10,325
Medical Devices \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									5,374	5,011	4,710
Medical Devices \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									6,865	6,359	5,615
Other
Revenue
Net Sales									57	62	237
Key Emerging Markets \| Established Pharmaceutical Products
Revenue
Net Sales									3,392	3,363	3,307
Key Emerging Markets \| Established Pharmaceutical Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									3,392	3,363	3,307
Other \| Established Pharmaceutical Products
Revenue
Net Sales									1,094	1,059	980
Other \| Established Pharmaceutical Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									1,094	1,059	980
Other \| Other
Revenue
Net Sales									57	62	237
Other \| Other \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									27	36	115
Other \| Other \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									30	26	122
Pediatric Nutritionals \| Nutritional Products
Revenue
Net Sales									4,161	4,097	3,889
Pediatric Nutritionals \| Nutritional Products \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									1,879	1,843	1,777
Pediatric Nutritionals \| Nutritional Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									2,282	2,254	2,112
Adult Nutritionals \| Nutritional Products
Revenue
Net Sales									3,248	3,132	3,036
Adult Nutritionals \| Nutritional Products \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									1,231	1,232	1,254
Adult Nutritionals \| Nutritional Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									2,017	1,900	1,782
Core Laboratory \| Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net Sales									4,656	4,386	4,063
Core Laboratory \| Diagnostic Products \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									1,086	985	921
Core Laboratory \| Diagnostic Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									3,570	3,401	3,142
Molecular \| Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net Sales									442	484	463
Molecular \| Diagnostic Products \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									149	152	160
Molecular \| Diagnostic Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									293	332	303
Point of Care \| Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net Sales									561	553	550
Point of Care \| Diagnostic Products \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									438	432	440
Point of Care \| Diagnostic Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									123	121	110
Rapid Diagnostics \| Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net Sales									2,054	2,072	540
Rapid Diagnostics \| Diagnostic Products \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									1,214	1,148	296
Rapid Diagnostics \| Diagnostic Products \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									840	924	244
Rhythm Management \| Medical Devices
Revenue
Net Sales									2,144	2,198	2,132
Rhythm Management \| Medical Devices \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									1,057	1,105	1,043
Rhythm Management \| Medical Devices \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									1,087	1,093	1,089
Electrophysiology \| Medical Devices
Revenue
Net Sales									1,721	1,561	1,353
Electrophysiology \| Medical Devices \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									742	678	596
Electrophysiology \| Medical Devices \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									979	883	757
Heart Failure \| Medical Devices
Revenue
Net Sales									769	646	643
Heart Failure \| Medical Devices \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									574	467	491
Heart Failure \| Medical Devices \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									195	179	152
Vascular \| Medical Devices
Revenue
Net Sales									2,850	2,929	2,892
Vascular \| Medical Devices \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									1,047	1,126	1,180
Vascular \| Medical Devices \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									1,803	1,803	1,712
Structural Heart \| Medical Devices
Revenue
Net Sales									1,400	1,239	1,083
Structural Heart \| Medical Devices \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									616	488	432
Structural Heart \| Medical Devices \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									784	751	651
Neuromodulation \| Medical Devices
Revenue
Net Sales									831	864	808
Neuromodulation \| Medical Devices \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									660	690	636
Neuromodulation \| Medical Devices \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									171	174	172
Diabetes Care \| Medical Devices
Revenue
Net Sales									2,524	1,933	1,414
Diabetes Care \| Medical Devices \| U.S.
Revenue
Net Sales									678	457	332
Diabetes Care \| Medical Devices \| Int'l
Revenue
Net Sales									$ 1,846	$ 1,476	$ 1,082