Segment Data - Financial Information for Company's Segments (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 4,402	$ 4,278	$ 4,222	$ 3,080	$ 3,166	$ 3,035	$ 2,969	$ 2,922	$ 15,983	$ 12,093	$ 12,483
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest									1,173	976	1,074
Acquisitions and other restructurings									744	354	728
Total Assets	53,904				37,734				53,904	37,734	25,586
Total Capital Expenditures									895	727	693
Total Depreciation and Amortization									1,978	1,088	1,114
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest									4,137	2,927	2,845
Total Assets	50,938				22,388				50,938	22,388	23,002
Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									8,616	7,419	7,965
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest									2,624	1,907	1,807
Total Assets	23,493				15,552				23,493	15,552	16,370
Total Capital Expenditures									560	486	464
Total Depreciation and Amortization									1,028	773	801
Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									4,330	3,988	3,829
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest									1,207	772	793
Total Assets	4,225				4,056				4,225	4,056	3,848
Total Capital Expenditures									255	212	200
Total Depreciation and Amortization									275	254	254
Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									3,037	685	689
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest									306	248	245
Total Assets	23,219				2,780				23,219	2,780	2,784
Total Capital Expenditures									65	16	18
Total Depreciation and Amortization									658	52	56
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquisitions and other restructurings									744	354	728
Net interest expense									(641)	(445)	(367)
Corporate and All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest									(1,578)	(1,152)	(676)
Total Assets	$ 2,966				$ 15,347				2,966	15,347	2,584
Total Capital Expenditures									14	13	12
Total Depreciation and Amortization									$ 17	$ 10	$ 3