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Subsequent Event (Details) (Subsequent Event, Mylan NV, USD $)
Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified
1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2015
Jun. 30, 2015
Mar. 31, 2015
Subsequent Event | Mylan NV
     
Subsequent event      
Number of shares in investment sold 40.3abt_SaleOfStockNumberOfSharesSold
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= abt_MyLanNVMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
   
Net proceeds from sale of shares   $ 2,290,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOtherInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= abt_MyLanNVMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
 
Number of shares owned     110us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedBalanceShares
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= abt_MyLanNVMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Investments   $ 206,000,000us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= abt_MyLanNVMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember