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

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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

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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

+ Details

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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

+ 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

+ Details

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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:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes2.5percentMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes3.6PercentMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes4.5PercentMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotes4.7PercentMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=abbv_PharmacyclicsIncMember
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Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=abbv_MorganStanleyCoLlcMember
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Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measures (Details 8) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	May. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument
Debt issuance costs					$ 93,000,000
Interest Expense		$ 207,000,000	$ 148,000,000		511,000,000	$ 290,000,000
Term loan facility \| Bridge Term Loan Agreement
Debt Instrument
Borrowing capacity	$ 18,000,000,000
Debt term	364 days
Drawn amount	$ 0
Interest Expense				$ 86,000,000
Senior notes
Debt Instrument
Debt face amount							$ 16,700,000,000
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 1.8 Percent
Debt Instrument
Debt face amount							$ 3,000,000,000
Interest rate percentage							1.80%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 2.5 Percent
Debt Instrument
Debt face amount							$ 3,750,000,000
Interest rate percentage							2.50%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 3.2 Percent
Debt Instrument
Debt face amount							$ 1,000,000,000
Interest rate percentage							3.20%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 3.6 Percent
Debt Instrument
Debt face amount							$ 3,750,000,000
Interest rate percentage							3.60%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 4.5 Percent
Debt Instrument
Debt face amount							$ 2,500,000,000
Interest rate percentage							4.50%
Senior notes \| Senior Notes 4.7 Percent
Debt Instrument
Debt face amount							$ 2,700,000,000
Interest rate percentage							4.70%
Senior notes \| Pharmacyclics Inc
Debt Instrument
Proceeds Used To Finance Acquisition					11,500,000,000
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC \| Senior notes
Debt Instrument
Proceeds Used To Finance Share Repurchase Program					$ 5,000,000,000