Segment Data - Revenues by Geographic Areas (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 4,195	$ 4,222	$ 8,355	$ 7,302
Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,180	2,172	4,316	4,024
Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,052	1,098	2,108	2,143
Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	963	952	1,932	1,135
United States
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,341	2,325	4,728	3,982
United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,211	1,178	2,450	2,218
United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	470	498	954	957
United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	659	649	1,323	806
International
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,854	1,898	3,628	3,321
International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	969	994	1,865	1,806
International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	582	600	1,153	1,186
International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	303	303	609	329
Medication Delivery Solutions | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	929	958	1,887	1,700
Medication Delivery Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	484	504	1,004	874
Medication Delivery Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	446	454	883	826
Medication Management Solutions | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	615	581	1,239	1,168
Medication Management Solutions | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	497	461	1,003	932
Medication Management Solutions | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	118	120	236	237
Diabetes Care | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	270	267	544	544
Diabetes Care | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	137	131	282	277
Diabetes Care | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	133	136	261	267
Pharmaceutical Systems | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	366	366	646	612
Pharmaceutical Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	93	82	161	136
Pharmaceutical Systems | International | Operating Segments | Medical
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	273	284	485	475
Preanalytical Systems | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	366	381	758	756
Preanalytical Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	171	181	371	366
Preanalytical Systems | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	195	200	387	391
Diagnostic Systems | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	389	410	771	791
Diagnostic Systems | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	180	201	355	367
Diagnostic Systems | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	209	209	416	423
Biosciences | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	297	307	579	596
Biosciences | United States | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	120	116	228	224
Biosciences | International | Operating Segments | Life Sciences
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	177	191	350	372
Surgery | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	345	351	693	528
Surgery | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	271	276	545	428
Surgery | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	75	75	148	99
Peripheral Intervention | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	342	338	679	344
Peripheral Intervention | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	194	194	385	198
Peripheral Intervention | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	148	145	294	146
Urology and Critical Care | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	275	264	560	264
Urology and Critical Care | United States | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	195	180	393	180
Urology and Critical Care | International | Operating Segments | Interventional
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 80	$ 84	$ 168	$ 84