Revenue (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) units	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) units	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Emerging Markets total countries | units	20		20
Net sales	$ 2,003	$ 2,631	$ 4,546	$ 5,124
Contract with Customer, Liability [Abstract]
Contract with Customer, Liability	393		393		$ 400
Change in Contract with Customer, Liability [Abstract]
Contract with Customer, Liability, Revenue Recognized	31		66
United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	1,118	1,478	2,607	2,881
International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	885	1,153	1,939	2,243
EMEA [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	416	571	968	1,132
APAC [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	410	481	819	918
Latin America and Canada [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	51	101	140	192
Emerging Markets [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	255	318	522	614
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	68		109
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	60		97
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	8		12
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	348	470	790	910
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	190	270	445	523
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	158	200	345	387
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	228	348	560	674
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	162	248	400	479
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	66	100	161	195
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	351	498	788	989
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	208	288	463	576
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	143	210	325	413
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	51	84	126	164
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	22	39	53	75
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	30	46	72	89
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	122	204	313	390
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	100	160	250	304
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	23	44	63	86
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	495	706	1,128	1,367
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	189	318	486	614
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	306	388	642	753
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	340	320	732	631
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	189	155	413	311
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	151	165	319	320
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	68		109
BSX Reportable Segments [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	1,935		4,437
BSX Reportable Segments [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,058	$ 1,478	$ 2,510	$ 2,881