Acquisitions and Strategic Investments (Details)										3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 20, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares	Oct. 16, 2018 USD ($)	Aug. 02, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 05, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 16, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 10, 2017 USD ($)	May 16, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 22, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Rate	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 29, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 24, 2018 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Contributions by Employer											$ 14,000,000	$ 10,000,000
Equity Method Investments												209,000,000				$ 303,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired											1,448,000,000	560,000,000	$ 408,000,000
Exchange Rate, USD																1.28
Exchange Rate, GBP | £															£ 1.00
Other Significant Noncash Transaction, Value of Consideration Given											72,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Asset												169,000,000	204,000,000			347,000,000
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Liability, Purchases											248,000,000	94,000,000	50,000,000
Maximum future contingent consideration for acquisitions completed after January 1, 2009																873,000,000
Goodwill												6,998,000,000	6,678,000,000			7,911,000,000
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Contingent consideration expense (benefit)											(21,000,000)	(80,000,000)	$ 29,000,000
Contingent payment related to business combination											28,000,000	48,000,000
Cost Method Investments												81,000,000				94,000,000
Notes receivable from portfolio companies												47,000,000				26,000,000
Equity Method Investment, Difference Between Carrying Amount and Underlying Equity												212,000,000				334,000,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net												103,000,000				241,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain											184,000,000
change in maximum amount of future contingent consideration, increase (decrease)											447,000,000
Proposed BTG Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	$ 3,311,000,000									$ 4,225,000,000
Minimum Share Approval Needed	75.00%
Business Acquisition, Share Price | $ / shares	$ 8.40
Millipede [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration for share purchase																	$ 90,000,000
Augmenix, Inc. [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross		$ 500,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High		$ 100,000,000
Claret [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross			$ 220,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High			$ 50,000,000
Cryterion [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross				$ 202,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Percentage				35.00%
NxThera [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross					$ 240,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High					$ 85,000,000
nVision [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross						$ 150,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High						$ 125,000,000
Other 2018 Acquisitions [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross											158,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High																62,000,000
2018 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value											251,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired											1,449,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration																(248,000,000)
Goodwill																942,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles																938,000,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets																213,000,000
Total											1,948,000,000
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets																38,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities																(19,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities																(164,000,000)
Intangible Assets Acquired, Finite and Indefinite-lived											1,152,000,000
2017 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired											560,000,000
Goodwill																287,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles																278,000,000
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)																186,000,000
Total											632,000,000
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Contingent consideration expense (benefit)											(22,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets																44,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities																(61,000,000)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net																$ 102,000,000
2016 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount												116,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired												365,000,000
Goodwill												204,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles												228,000,000
Total											632,000,000	458,000,000
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Other Noncurrent Assets												(57,000,000)
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Liabilities Incurred												43,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment												83,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net												228,000,000
Contingent consideration recognized in the period												50,000,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred												458,000,000
Apama [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired							$ 175,000,000
Potential payments based on acheiving certain milestones							$ 125,000,000
Symetis [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross								$ 430,000,000
EndoChoice [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired									$ 213,000,000
Business Acquisition, Share Price | $ / shares									$ 8.00
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Liabilities Incurred									$ 43,000,000
Other 2016 Acquisitions [Member] [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Liabilities Incurred												189,000,000
Potential payments based on future sales												125,000,000
Customer Relationships [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 51,000,000
Customer Relationships [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												9 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												11.00%
Customer Relationships [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												13 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												12.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired											$ 268,000,000	$ 176,000,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life											13 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation															24.00%	24.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												9 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												11.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												13 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												20.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | 2018 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired											$ 907,000,000
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | 2018 Acquisitions [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life											6 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation															14.00%	14.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | 2018 Acquisitions [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life											14 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation															23.00%	23.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired											$ 10,000,000	$ 1,000,000
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation															24.00%	24.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life											2 years
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life											13 years
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | 2018 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired											$ 31,000,000
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | 2018 Acquisitions [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life											6 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation															13.00%	13.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | 2018 Acquisitions [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life											13 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation															15.00%	15.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | 2016 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												4 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation | Rate												11.00%
In Process Research and Development [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation															15.00%	15.00%
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired											$ 464,000,000
In Process Research and Development [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)												$ 278,000,000				$ 486,000,000
In Process Research and Development [Member] | 2018 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation															15.00%	15.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired											$ 213,000,000
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | R&D, Regulatory and Commercialization-based Milestone [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration																$ (189,000,000)
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | R&D, Regulatory and Commercialization-based Milestone [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input											3.20%
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment															17.00%	17.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment											2018
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | R&D, Regulatory and Commercialization-based Milestone [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input											4.00%
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment															100.00%	100.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment											2022
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | Revenue-based payments by valuation technique [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration																$ (158,000,000)
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input											11.00%
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment															60.00%	60.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment											2019
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input											15.00%
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment															100.00%	100.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment											2026
Subsequent Event [Member] | Millipede [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Potential payments based on acheiving certain milestones														$ 125,000,000
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Percentage														20.00%
Closing payment														$ 325,000,000