Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	$ 105,000,000	$ 35,000,000	$ 4,000,000
Goodwill	10,176,000,000	7,911,000,000	6,998,000,000
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments	66,000,000	(29,000,000)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	14,299,000,000	12,383,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	(7,195,000,000)	(6,617,000,000)
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(9,900,000,000)	(9,900,000,000)
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	7,886,000,000	6,372,000,000	5,837,000,000
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	2,218,000,000	942,000,000
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges	(19,000,000)
Goodwill, Gross	20,076,000,000	17,811,000,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, accumulated write-offs	(9,900,000,000)	(9,900,000,000)
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, including goodwill	20,858,000,000	18,417,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year One	787,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year Two	750,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year Three	722,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year Four	708,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year Five	672,000,000
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	10,735,000,000	9,823,000,000	9,048,000,000
Cardiovascular [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	5,676,000,000	3,925,000,000	3,704,000,000
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments	58,000,000	(3,000,000)
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	1,712,000,000	224,000,000
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges	19,000,000
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	4,208,000,000	3,777,000,000	3,500,000,000
BSX Reportable Segments [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	10,654,000,000	9,823,000,000	9,048,000,000
Other Segments [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	247,000,000	0	0
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments	9,000,000	0
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	238,000,000	0
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges	0
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	81,000,000
MedSurg [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	2,061,000,000	2,063,000,000	2,877,000,000
Goodwill, Period Increase (Decrease)		(1,379,000,000)
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments	(1,000,000)	(3,000,000)
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	0	568,000,000
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	3,307,000,000	3,007,000,000	2,742,000,000
Rhythm and Neuro [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	2,192,000,000	1,924,000,000	417,000,000
Goodwill, Period Increase (Decrease)		1,379,000,000
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments	0	(22,000,000)
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	268,000,000	150,000,000
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	3,140,000,000	3,041,000,000	$ 2,808,000,000
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	12,020,000,000	10,197,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	(5,706,000,000)	(5,266,000,000)
Patents [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	525,000,000	520,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	(408,000,000)	(393,000,000)
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	1,754,000,000	1,666,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	(1,081,000,000)	(958,000,000)
In Process Research and Development [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	662,000,000	486,000,000
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	120,000,000	120,000,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, accumulated write-offs	$ 0	$ 0