Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	$ 30,565	$ 20,999
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	2,079	1,782	$ 1,697
Net sales	10,735	9,823	9,048
Amortization expense	(699)	(599)	(565)
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	1,518	1,506	1,285
Other expense, net	(831)	(85)	(353)
Income (loss) before income taxes	687	1,422	933
Depreciation	(311)	(296)	(279)
Goodwill	10,176	7,911	6,998
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	7,886	6,372	5,837
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	336	0	0
Long-Lived Assets	$ 20,477	16,064	14,531
Segment Reporting (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | reportablesegments	3
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	$ 1,148	1,061	1,065
Net sales	6,167	5,538	5,162
IRELAND
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	327	242	210
Other countries [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	604	478	422
Special Charges [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Income Unallocated to Segment	(582)	(398)	(407)
Cardiovascular [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	2,535	1,954
Net sales	4,208	3,777	3,500
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	1,137	1,117	988
Depreciation	(138)	(133)	(120)
Goodwill	$ 5,676	$ 3,925	$ 3,704
TOTAL ASSETS	27.00%	29.60%	28.20%
Other Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 81
Goodwill	247	$ 0	$ 0
MedSurg [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	1,803	1,846
Net sales	3,307	3,007	2,742
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	1,204	1,102	984
Depreciation	(75)	(72)	(68)
Goodwill	$ 2,061	$ 2,063	$ 2,877
TOTAL ASSETS	36.40%	36.70%	35.90%
Rhythm and Neuro [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	$ 1,873	$ 1,696
Net sales	3,140	3,041	$ 2,808
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	666	655	537
Depreciation	(92)	(91)	(91)
Goodwill	$ 2,192	$ 1,924	$ 417
TOTAL ASSETS	21.20%	21.50%	19.10%
Total allocated to reportable segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	$ 6,211	$ 5,497
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	3,007	2,875	$ 2,509
Corporate Expenses including hedging activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Income Unallocated to Segment	(264)	(372)	(252)
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	6,082	1,219
BSX Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	10,654	9,823	9,048
Depreciation	(306)	(296)	$ (279)
BSX Reportable Segments [Member] | United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	6,097
BTG Spec Pharma [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	211	$ 0
Net sales	81
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	56
Depreciation	(6)
BTG Spec Pharma [Member] | United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 70