Segment Data - Revenues by Geographic Areas (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 4,350	$ 4,278	$ 12,706	$ 11,581
Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,311	2,246	6,626	6,270
Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,058	1,079	3,166	3,222
Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	981	954	2,914	2,089
United States
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,440	2,338	7,168	6,319
United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,299	1,230	3,750	3,448
United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	475	476	1,430	1,433
United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	666	632	1,989	1,438
International
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,910	1,941	5,538	5,261
International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,011	1,016	2,877	2,822
International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	583	603	1,736	1,789
International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	316	322	925	651
Medication Delivery Solutions | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	984	977	2,871	2,677
Medication Delivery Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	524	505	1,528	1,379
Medication Delivery Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	460	471	1,344	1,298
Medication Management Solutions | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	658	610	1,896	1,778
Medication Management Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	528	483	1,531	1,415
Medication Management Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	129	127	365	364
Diabetes Care | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	275	276	819	820
Diabetes Care | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	139	138	421	415
Diabetes Care | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	136	138	397	405
Pharmaceutical Systems | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	394	383	1,040	994
Pharmaceutical Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	108	103	269	239
Pharmaceutical Systems | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	286	279	771	755
Preanalytical Systems | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	407	404	1,165	1,160
Preanalytical Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	203	199	574	565
Preanalytical Systems | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	204	205	591	595
Diagnostic Systems | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	368	362	1,138	1,152
Diagnostic Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	155	151	510	518
Diagnostic Systems | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	212	211	628	634
Biosciences | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	284	314	862	910
Biosciences | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	117	126	345	350
Biosciences | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	167	188	517	559
Surgery | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	349	336	1,042	864
Surgery | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	273	259	819	687
Surgery | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	76	77	223	177
Peripheral Intervention | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	350	353	1,029	697
Peripheral Intervention | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	195	195	580	393
Peripheral Intervention | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	155	157	449	303
Urology and Critical Care | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	283	265	843	529
Urology and Critical Care | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	198	178	590	358
Urology and Critical Care | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 85	$ 87	$ 253	$ 171