Represents line of credit facility drawn amount.

No definition available.

Name:	abbv_LineOfCreditFacilityDrawnAmount
Namespace Prefix:	abbv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the proceeds from debt instrument used to finance the acquisition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	abbv_ProceedsUsedToFinanceAcquisition
Namespace Prefix:	abbv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the proceeds from debt instrument used to finance the accelerated share repurchase program.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	abbv_ProceedsUsedToFinanceShareRepurchaseProgram
Namespace Prefix:	abbv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of debt issuance costs (for example, but not limited to, legal, accounting, broker, and regulatory fees).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtIssuanceCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 9

-Article 9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_BridgeLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes1.8PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes2.5percentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes3.2PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes3.6PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes4.5PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes4.7PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=abbv_PharmacyclicsIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=abbv_MorganStanleyCoLlcMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measures (Details 8) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	May. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issuance costs				$ 93
Interest Expense		$ 172	$ 73	304	$ 143
Term loan facility \| Bridge Term Loan Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity	$ 18,000
Debt term	364 days
Drawn amount	$ 0
Interest Expense		$ 27		86
Senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount						$ 16,700
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 1.8 Percent
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount						$ 3,000
Interest rate percentage						1.80%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 2.5Percent
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount						$ 3,750
Interest rate percentage						2.50%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 3.2 Percent
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount						$ 1,000
Interest rate percentage						3.20%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 3.6 Percent
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount						$ 3,750
Interest rate percentage						3.60%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 4.5 Percent
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount						$ 2,500
Interest rate percentage						4.50%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 4.7 Percent
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount						$ 2,700
Interest rate percentage						4.70%
Senior notes \| Pharmacyclics Inc
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds Used To Finance Acquisition				11,500
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC \| Senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds Used To Finance Share Repurchase Program				$ 5,000