Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 11,257	$ 10,223	$ 23,152	$ 20,679
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	11,255	10,201	23,147	20,641
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2	22	5	38
United States
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	4,892	3,581	9,829	7,419
United States | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2	15	5	25
International
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	6,365	6,642	13,323	13,260
International | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	7	0	13
Established Pharmaceutical Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,223	1,180	2,370	2,250
Established Pharmaceutical Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Established Pharmaceutical Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,223	1,180	2,370	2,250
Nutritionals | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,953	2,108	3,847	4,144
Nutritionals | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	761	873	1,438	1,709
Nutritionals | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,192	1,235	2,409	2,435
Diagnostics | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	4,322	3,247	9,608	7,261
Diagnostics | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,469	1,155	5,210	2,796
Diagnostics | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,853	2,092	4,398	4,465
Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	3,757	3,666	7,322	6,986
Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,660	1,538	3,176	2,889
Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,097	2,128	4,146	4,097
Key Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	931	915	1,833	1,736
Key Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Key Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	931	915	1,833	1,736
Other Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	292	265	537	514
Other Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Other Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	292	265	537	514
Pediatric Nutritionals | Nutritionals | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	925	1,093	1,772	2,159
Pediatric Nutritionals | Nutritionals | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	413	528	751	1,036
Pediatric Nutritionals | Nutritionals | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	512	565	1,021	1,123
Adult Nutritionals | Nutritionals | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,028	1,015	2,075	1,985
Adult Nutritionals | Nutritionals | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	348	345	687	673
Adult Nutritionals | Nutritionals | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	680	670	1,388	1,312
Core Laboratory | Diagnostics | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,221	1,306	2,405	2,488
Core Laboratory | Diagnostics | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	287	283	555	554
Core Laboratory | Diagnostics | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	934	1,023	1,850	1,934
Molecular | Diagnostics | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	212	290	632	737
Molecular | Diagnostics | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	71	94	243	269
Molecular | Diagnostics | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	141	196	389	468
Point of Care | Diagnostics | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	139	137	267	266
Point of Care | Diagnostics | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	101	97	192	189
Point of Care | Diagnostics | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	38	40	75	77
Rapid Diagnostics | Diagnostics | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,750	1,514	6,304	3,770
Rapid Diagnostics | Diagnostics | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,010	681	4,220	1,784
Rapid Diagnostics | Diagnostics | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	740	833	2,084	1,986
Rhythm Management | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	548	567	1,072	1,086
Rhythm Management | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	264	269	512	510
Rhythm Management | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	284	298	560	576
Electrophysiology | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	486	487	971	918
Electrophysiology | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	226	209	442	388
Electrophysiology | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	260	278	529	530
Heart Failure | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	241	227	462	421
Heart Failure | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	179	168	346	313
Heart Failure | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	62	59	116	108
Vascular | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	653	697	1,272	1,332
Vascular | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	228	246	437	465
Vascular | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	425	451	835	867
Structural Heart | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	440	422	851	799
Structural Heart | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	207	191	397	360
Structural Heart | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	233	231	454	439
Neuromodulation | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	197	210	376	394
Neuromodulation | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	157	166	300	311
Neuromodulation | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	40	44	76	83
Diabetes Care | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,192	1,056	2,318	2,036
Diabetes Care | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	399	289	742	542
Diabetes Care | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 793	$ 767	$ 1,576	$ 1,494