Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Pensions (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
PENSION AND POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Amortization period of differences between the expected long-term return on plan assets and the actual return	5 years

This element represents the period over which differences between the expected long-term return on plan assets and the actual return will be amortized.

No definition available.

Name:	abt_AmortizationPeriodOfDifferencesBetweenTheExpectedLongTermReturnOnPlanAssetsAndTheActualReturn
Namespace Prefix:	abt_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration