Derivatives - Additional Information (Detail) € in Millions	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Derivative Country	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Derivative	Dec. 31, 2016 EUR (€) Derivative Country	Jun. 03, 2015 Agreement	Jun. 09, 2011 Agreement
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Number of interest rate contracts | Agreement						7
Interest swaps accrual beginning date			Jun. 30, 2016
Payment to terminate hedge accounting	$ 12,000,000
Interest rate cash flow hedge loss to be reclassified during first three months, net				$ (3,000,000)
Borrowings, net of original issue discount			$ 7,219,000,000	2,501,000,000
Foreign exchange gains (losses) related to net investment hedge			131,000,000
Pre-tax unrealized losses related to foreign exchange contracts and interest rate derivatives			2,000,000
IMS Health Holdings, Inc. [Member] | Derivatives Designated As Cash Flow Hedges [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative variable interest rate		1.00%
IMS Health Holdings, Inc. [Member] | Derivatives Designated As Cash Flow Hedges [Member] | EURIBOR [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative variable interest rate		1.00%
Accrued Interest [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Payment to terminate hedge accounting	$ 1,000,000
Foreign Currency Denominated Debt [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Borrowings, net of original issue discount			$ 2,131,000,000		€ 2,025
Minimum [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Number of countries | Country			100		100
Foreign Exchange Risk Management [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Number of countries | Country			100		100
Service Contract Hedging and Royalty Hedging Contracts [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Number of interest rate contracts | Derivative			62		62
Notional amount			$ 300,000,000
Gains (losses) related to contracts			$ 1,000,000	$ (5,000,000)
Expiration year of hedge instruments			2017
Service Contract Hedging and Royalty Hedging Contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest rate swaps expiry date			Nov. 30, 2017
Service Contract Hedging Contracts [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Number of interest rate contracts | Derivative				15
Expiration year of hedge instruments				2016
2014 Swaps [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Number of interest rate contracts | Agreement							6
Interest swaps accrual beginning date			Jun. 09, 2011
2014 Swaps [Member] | IMS Health Holdings, Inc. [Member] | Derivatives Designated As Cash Flow Hedges [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Notional amount		$ 600,000,000
Effective description of interest rate swaps			Effective between April and June 2014
Expiration description of interest rate swaps			Expire at various times from March 2017 through March 2021
2014 Swaps [Member] | Minimum [Member] | IMS Health Holdings, Inc. [Member] | Derivatives Designated As Cash Flow Hedges [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative swap interest rate		1.40%
2014 Swaps [Member] | Maximum [Member] | IMS Health Holdings, Inc. [Member] | Derivatives Designated As Cash Flow Hedges [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative swap interest rate		2.10%
Six Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest rate swaps expiry date			Sep. 30, 2013
Six Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest rate swaps expiry date			Mar. 31, 2016
Interest Rate Cap [Member] | IMS Health Holdings, Inc. [Member] | Derivatives Designated As Cash Flow Hedges [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Notional amount		$ 1,000,000,000
Effective description of interest rate swaps			Effective at various times between April 2014 and April 2016
Expiration description of interest rate swaps			Expire at various times between April 2017 and April 2019
Premiums paid for interest rate caps		$ 21,000,000
Interest Rate Cap [Member] | Minimum [Member] | IMS Health Holdings, Inc. [Member] | Derivatives Designated As Cash Flow Hedges [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest rate caps range of strike rates		2.00%
Interest Rate Cap [Member] | Maximum [Member] | IMS Health Holdings, Inc. [Member] | Derivatives Designated As Cash Flow Hedges [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest rate caps range of strike rates		3.00%
2015 Swaps [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Derivative fixed interest rate			2.10%		2.10%
2015 Swaps [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest rate swaps expiry date			Mar. 31, 2017
2015 Swaps [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest rate swaps expiry date			Mar. 31, 2020
2014 and 2015 Swaps [Member] | Variable Rate Debt [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest rate swaps effectively converted percent			48.00%		48.00%
2014 and 2015 Swaps [Member] | Fixed Rate Debt [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Interest rate swaps effectively converted percent			52.00%		52.00%