Name:	abt_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximumAggregateSites
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The estimated maximum loss, per individual site, from the contingency related to the environmental clean up in the United States and Puerto Rico.

No definition available.

Name:	abt_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximumIndividualSite
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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.

No definition available.

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Amount of loss contingency liability.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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The estimated maximum amount of possible loss from the contingency.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 9

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

The estimated minimum amount of possible loss from the contingency.