Debt Instrument, Redemption Period without Payment of Make Whole Amount

No definition available.

Name:	amgn_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodwithoutPaymentofMakeWholeAmount
Namespace Prefix:	amgn_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow for debt initially having maturity due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow for a borrowing having initial term of repayment within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfShortTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of short-term debt outstanding calculated at point in time.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amgn_FourPointFiveSixThreePercentNotesDueTwoZeroFourEightMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amgn_FourPointSixSixThreePercentNotesDueTwoZeroFiveOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amgn_TwoPointOneTwoFivePercentNotesDue2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amgn_FloatingRateNotesDue2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amgn_OnePointTwoFivePercentNotesDue2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amgn_FivePointEightFivePercentNotesDue2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amgn_A1.90notesdue2019Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amgn_A2.20Notesdue2020Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amgn_A2.65Notesdue2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_NotesPayableToBanksMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

Financing arrangements (Details Textual) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Financing arrangements (Details Textual) - USD ($)	May 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt repayment, short-term loan		$ 605,000,000
Debt repayment, long-term debt		$ 4,405,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000
Debt, principal amount	$ 3,500,000,000.0
4.563% notes due 2048 (4.563% 2048 Notes) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage		4.563%
Effective interest rate		6.30%
4.663% notes due 2051 (4.663% 2051 Notes) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage		4.663%
Effective interest rate		5.60%
2.125% notes due 2017 (2.125% 2017 Notes) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage		2.125%		2.125%
Debt repayment, long-term debt		$ 1,250,000,000
Floating Rate Notes due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt repayment, long-term debt		$ 600,000,000
1.25% notes due 2017 (1.25% 2017 Notes) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage		1.25%		1.25%
Debt repayment, long-term debt		$ 850,000,000
5.85% notes due 2017 (5.85% 2017 Notes) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage		5.85%		5.85%
Debt repayment, long-term debt		$ 1,100,000,000
1.90% notes due 2019 (1.90% 2019 Notes) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage	1.90%	1.90%
2.20% notes due 2020 (2.20% 2020 Notes) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage	2.20%	2.20%
2.65% notes due 2022 (2.65% 2022 Notes) {Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage	2.65%	2.65%
Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption period without payment of a make-whole amount	1 month
Commercial paper [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average effective borrowing rate		1.30%