Incentive Stock Program (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Incentive stock programs, shares reserved for future grants	57,000,000
Stock options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Award vesting period	3 years
Stock Options Outstanding During The Period
Stock options outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	34,562,557
Stock options granted during the period (in shares)	7,782,634
Stock options exercised during the period (in shares)	(5,964,433)
Stock options lapsed during the period (in shares)	(492,425)
Stock options outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	35,888,333	34,562,557
Exercisable options outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	25,119,505
Exercisable options outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	23,290,260	25,119,505
Stock Options Weighted Average Exercise Price
Stock options outstanding at the beginning of the period, weighted-average exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 31.57
Stock options granted during the period, weighted-average exercise price (in dollars per share)	38.44
Stock options exercised during the period, weighted-average exercise price (in dollars per share)	23.96
Stock options lapsed during the period, weighted-average exercise price (in dollars per share)	43.03
Stock options outstanding at the end of the period, weighted-average exercise price (in dollars per share)	34.17	$ 31.57
Exercisable options outstanding, weighted-average exercise price at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	27.18
Exercisable options outstanding, weighted-average exercise price at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 30.48	$ 27.18
Stock Options Weighted Average Remaining Life (Years)
Stock options outstanding, weighted-average remaining life	5 years 3 months 18 days	4 years 6 months
Exercisable options, weighted-average remaining life	3 years 6 months	3 years
Aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding	$ 203
Aggregate intrinsic value of options exercisable	203
Total intrinsic value of options exercised	98	$ 167	$ 152
Total unrecognized compensation cost	$ 197
Total unrecognized compensation cost, recognition period	3 years
Total non-cash compensation expense charged against income	$ 310	291	239
Tax benefit recognized in total non-cash compensation expense	$ 100	$ 98	$ 79
Fair value of an option granted (in dollars per share)	$ 4.38	$ 6.67	$ 6.39
Fair value assumptions:
Risk-free interest rate (as a percent)	1.40%	1.80%	1.90%
Average life of options (years)	6 years	6 years	6 years
Volatility (as a percent)	17.00%	17.00%	20.00%
Dividend yield (as a percent)	2.70%	2.00%	2.20%
Stock options \| 2009 Incentive Stock Program
Stock Options Outstanding During The Period
Stock options granted during the period (in shares)	7,782,634
Stock options \| Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Maximum term of option	10 years
Restricted stock awards and restricted stock units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Awards and units granted during period (in shares)	8,370,211
Awards and units outstanding (in shares)	13,705,511	11,855,327
Awards and units outstanding, weighted-average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 41.03	$ 42.54
Awards and units granted during period, weighted-average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 38.57
Awards and units vested during period (in shares)	5,842,478
Awards and units vested during period, weighted-average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 40.50
Awards and units lapsed during period (in shares)	677,549
Awards and units lapsed during period, weighted-average grant-date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 41.63
Fair value of awards and units vested	$ 225	$ 312	$ 281
Restricted stock awards
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Portion of awards vesting in any one year for awards that vest over 5 years (as a percent)	33.00%
For awards with a term of five years, number of years in which no more than one-third of the award vests	1 year
Restricted stock awards \| 2009 Incentive Stock Program
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Grants in period, restricted stock (in shares)	776,510
Restricted stock awards \| Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Award vesting period	3 years
Restricted stock awards \| Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Award vesting period	5 years
Restricted stock units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Award vesting period	3 years
Number of shares of common stock received for each vested restricted stock unit (in shares)	1
Restricted stock units \| 2009 Incentive Stock Program
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Awards and units granted during period (in shares)	7,593,701

For awards that vest over five years, the maximum portion of the award that vests in any one year.

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This element represents the number of years in which one third portion of stock awards vesting beyond five years vests upon Abbott reaching minimum return on equity target.

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The number of shares of common stock received for each vested restricted stock unit.

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Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-SubTopic 10
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Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

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Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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The total recognized tax benefit related to compensation cost for equity-based payment arrangements recognized in income during the period.

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Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that were forfeited during the reporting period.

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Weighted average fair value as of the grant date of equity-based award plans other than stock (unit) option plans that were not exercised or put into effect as a result of the occurrence of a terminating event.

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The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

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The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

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The number of non-vested equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that validly exist and are outstanding as of the balance sheet date.

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The weighted average fair value of nonvested awards on equity-based plans excluding option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, revenue or profit achievement stock award plan) for which the employer is contingently obligated to issue equity instruments or transfer assets to an employee who has not yet satisfied service or performance criteria necessary to gain title to proceeds from the sale of the award or underlying shares or units.

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The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that vested during the reporting period.

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Fair value of share-based awards for which the grantee gained the right by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash.

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The weighted average fair value as of grant date pertaining to an equity-based award plan other than a stock (or unit) option plan for which the grantee gained the right during the reporting period, by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash in accordance with the terms of the arrangement.

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The estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.

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The estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

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The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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Net number of non-option equity instruments granted to participants.

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The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

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The number of shares into which fully or partially vested stock options outstanding as of the balance sheet date can be currently converted under the option plan.

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The weighted-average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance on vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable under the stock option plan.

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Amount of accumulated difference between fair value of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options exercised (or share units converted) into shares.

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Number of options or other stock instruments for which the right to exercise has lapsed under the terms of the plan agreements.

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Gross number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

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The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.

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Amount by which the current fair value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of options outstanding.

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Number of options outstanding, including both vested and non-vested options.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

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Weighted average price at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance under the stock option plan.

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Weighted average price at which option holders acquired shares when converting their stock options into shares.

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No definition available.

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Weighted average price at which grantees could have acquired the underlying shares with respect to stock options of the plan that expired.

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Weighted average per share amount at which grantees can acquire shares of common stock by exercise of options.

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Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Expected term of share-based compensation awards, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Paragraph 2
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Amount of difference between fair value of the underlying shares reserved for issuance and exercise price of vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable.

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Weighted average remaining contractual term for vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable or convertible, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Weighted average remaining contractual term for option awards outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Number of share options (or share units) exercised during the current period.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
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