Revenue - Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 10,410	$ 10,928	$ 33,562	$ 31,607
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	10,407	10,917	33,554	31,558
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	3	11	8	49
United States
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	4,094	4,368	13,923	11,787
United States | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	3	6	8	31
International
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	6,316	6,560	19,639	19,820
International | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	5	0	18
Established Pharmaceutical Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,326	1,265	3,696	3,515
Established Pharmaceutical Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Established Pharmaceutical Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,326	1,265	3,696	3,515
Nutritional Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,795	2,108	5,642	6,252
Nutritional Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	686	919	2,124	2,628
Nutritional Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,109	1,189	3,518	3,624
Diagnostic Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	3,671	3,912	13,279	11,173
Diagnostic Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,741	1,947	6,951	4,743
Diagnostic Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,930	1,965	6,328	6,430
Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	3,615	3,632	10,937	10,618
Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,664	1,496	4,840	4,385
Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,951	2,136	6,097	6,233
Key Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	993	936	2,826	2,672
Key Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Key Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	993	936	2,826	2,672
Other Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	333	329	870	843
Other Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Other Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	333	329	870	843
Pediatric Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	827	1,100	2,599	3,259
Pediatric Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	357	586	1,108	1,622
Pediatric Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	470	514	1,491	1,637
Adult Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	968	1,008	3,043	2,993
Adult Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	329	333	1,016	1,006
Adult Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	639	675	2,027	1,987
Core Laboratory | Diagnostic Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,219	1,292	3,624	3,780
Core Laboratory | Diagnostic Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	281	291	836	845
Core Laboratory | Diagnostic Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	938	1,001	2,788	2,935
Molecular | Diagnostic Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	183	345	815	1,082
Molecular | Diagnostic Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	65	162	308	431
Molecular | Diagnostic Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	118	183	507	651
Point of Care | Diagnostic Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	127	135	394	401
Point of Care | Diagnostic Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	92	100	284	289
Point of Care | Diagnostic Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	35	35	110	112
Rapid Diagnostics | Diagnostic Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,142	2,140	8,446	5,910
Rapid Diagnostics | Diagnostic Products | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,303	1,394	5,523	3,178
Rapid Diagnostics | Diagnostic Products | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	839	746	2,923	2,732
Rhythm Management | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	533	571	1,605	1,657
Rhythm Management | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	263	266	775	776
Rhythm Management | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	270	305	830	881
Electrophysiology | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	469	485	1,440	1,403
Electrophysiology | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	225	192	667	580
Electrophysiology | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	244	293	773	823
Heart Failure | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	228	229	690	650
Heart Failure | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	177	170	523	483
Heart Failure | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	51	59	167	167
Vascular | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	606	644	1,878	1,976
Vascular | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	213	219	650	684
Vascular | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	393	425	1,228	1,292
Structural Heart | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	420	392	1,271	1,191
Structural Heart | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	207	177	604	537
Structural Heart | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	213	215	667	654
Neuromodulation | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	192	190	568	584
Neuromodulation | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	156	149	456	460
Neuromodulation | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	36	41	112	124
Diabetes Care | Medical Devices | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,167	1,121	3,485	3,157
Diabetes Care | Medical Devices | United States | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	423	323	1,165	865
Diabetes Care | Medical Devices | International | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 744	$ 798	$ 2,320	$ 2,292