Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($) business	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($) reportablesegments business	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number Of Businesses | business	5		5
Number of reportable segments | reportablesegments			2
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Amortization expense	$ (204)	$ (180)	$ (402)	$ (365)
Operating income (loss)	423	262	889	632
Other expense, net	(78)	(113)	(388)	(157)
Income (loss) before income taxes	345	149	501	474
Impact of Foreign Currency Fluctuations on Net Sales	(100)	27	(140)	58
Net sales	3,244	3,077	6,270	5,829
United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	1,933	1,800	3,711	3,386
International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	1,311	1,277	2,559	2,443
Endoscopy [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	560	551	1,091	1,050
Endoscopy [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	338	316	650	596
Endoscopy [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	221	235	441	454
Urology and Pelvic Health [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	450	397	863	758
Urology and Pelvic Health [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	320	285	606	542
Urology and Pelvic Health [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	130	112	257	216
Neuromodulation [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	239	247	448	444
Neuromodulation [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	186	194	346	345
Neuromodulation [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	53	53	101	99
Interventional Cardiology Therapies
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	574	574	1,118	1,100
Interventional Cardiology Therapies | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	192	206	378	400
Interventional Cardiology Therapies | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	382	369	740	699
Watchman
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	250	216	476	386
Watchman | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	225	192	428	341
Watchman | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	25	24	48	45
Cardiac Rhythm Management [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	541	524	1,061	993
Cardiac Rhythm Management [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	342	314	667	590
Cardiac Rhythm Management [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	199	210	394	403
Electrophysiology [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	152	95	270	179
Electrophysiology [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	73	34	123	64
Electrophysiology [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	79	62	147	115
Cardiology [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	1,517	1,410	2,925	2,658
Cardiology [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	832	746	1,596	1,395
Cardiology [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	685	664	1,329	1,263
Peripheral Interventions [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	478	473	944	906
Peripheral Interventions [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	257	260	513	498
Peripheral Interventions [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	221	213	430	407
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenues from contracts with customers, disaggregated - performance measurement	0	0	0	13
Net sales	0	0	0	13
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	0	0	0	10
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	0	0	0	4
MedSurg [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	398	403	769	748
Revenues from contracts with customers, disaggregated - performance measurement	$ 1,278	$ 1,185	$ 2,442	$ 2,233
Segment operating income as percentage of net sales	31.20%	34.00%	31.50%	33.50%
Net sales	$ 1,248	$ 1,195	$ 2,402	$ 2,252
MedSurg [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	844	794	1,602	1,483
MedSurg [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	404	400	799	769
Cardiovascular [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	543	529	1,020	989
Revenues from contracts with customers, disaggregated - performance measurement	$ 2,066	$ 1,865	$ 3,967	$ 3,526
Segment operating income as percentage of net sales	26.30%	28.40%	25.70%	28.00%
Net sales	$ 1,996	$ 1,883	$ 3,868	$ 3,564
Cardiovascular [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	1,089	1,005	2,109	1,893
Cardiovascular [Member] | International [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	906	877	1,760	1,670
BSX Reportable Segments [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenues from contracts with customers, disaggregated - performance measurement	3,344	3,050	6,410	5,758
Net sales	3,244	3,077	6,270	5,816
BSX Reportable Segments [Member] | United States
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Net sales	1,933	1,800	3,711	3,376
Total allocated to reportable segments [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating income (loss)	941	932	1,789	1,736
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	4
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Unallocated to Segment	(123)	(159)	(189)	(298)
Intangible asset impairment charges, acquisition/divestiture-related net (charges) credits, restructuring- and restructuring-related net (charges) credits, EU MDR implementation costs and litigation-related net (charges) credits
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Unallocated to Segment	$ (192)	$ (331)	$ (308)	$ (445)