Acquisitions and Strategic Investments (Details) £ / shares in Units, $ / shares in Units, £ in Millions, $ in Millions												12 Months Ended
	Aug. 21, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 19, 2019 GBP (£) £ / shares	Aug. 19, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 11, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 16, 2018 USD ($)	Aug. 02, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 05, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 16, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 10, 2017 USD ($)	May 16, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / shares Rate	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Aug. 19, 2019 $ / shares	Jan. 29, 2019 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	$ 90
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue												$ 11,142	$ 10,429
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax												10,735	9,823	$ 9,048
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments												125	(22)
Proceeds from secured borrowings relating to royalty arrangements												256	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Contributions by Employer												13	14
Equity Method Investments												264	303
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired												4,382	1,448	560
Other Significant Noncash Transaction, Value of Consideration Given												72
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Asset												354	347	169
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Liability, Purchases												127	248	94
Maximum future contingent consideration for acquisitions completed after January 1, 2009												697
Goodwill												10,176	7,911	6,998
Goodwill, Acquired During Period												2,218	942
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Contingent consideration expense (benefit)												(35)	(21)	(80)
Business Combination, Provisional Information, Initial Accounting Incomplete, Adjustment, Consideration Transferred												(16)
Contingent payment related to business combination												68	28
Cost Method Investments												171	94
Notes receivable from portfolio companies												23	26
Equity Method Investment, Difference Between Carrying Amount and Underlying Equity												314
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net												3,601	241
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain													184
change in maximum amount of future contingent consideration, increase (decrease)												176
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Net, Current												1,828	1,608
Inventory, Net												1,579	1,166
Prepaid Expense and Other Assets, Current												880	921
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)												7,886	6,372	5,837
Other Assets, Noncurrent												1,529	845
Accrued Liabilities, Current												(2,109)	(2,246)
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent												2,635	1,882
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent												(595)	(328)
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)												$ 4,585	$ 1,244
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Basic | $ / shares												$ 3.30	$ 0.90
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Diluted | $ / shares												$ 3.25	$ 0.89
2017 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired												$ 560
Goodwill												287
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles												278
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)												186
Total												632
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets												44
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities												(61)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net												102
2019 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value												102
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired												763
Fair value of contingent consideration												127
Goodwill												575
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles												220
Indefinite-lived intangible assets												240
Total												992
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets												24
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities												(12)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities												(56)
Intangible Assets Acquired, Finite and Indefinite-lived												461
BTG Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax												226
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments												95
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired												3,619
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity												150
Cash Acquired from Acquisition			$ 404
Goodwill												1,644
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Intangible Assets Acquired, Finite and Indefinite-lived												1,785
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Net, Current												108
Inventory, Net												232
Prepaid Expense and Other Assets, Current												252
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)												1,785
Other Assets, Noncurrent												537
Accrued Liabilities, Current												(308)
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent												(274)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent												(358)
Vertiflex, Inc. [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross				$ 465
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, Low				0
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High				$ 100
Proposed BTG Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		£ 3,312	$ 4,023
Business Acquisition, Share Price | (per share)		£ 8.40													$ 10.20
Millipede [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration for share purchase																$ 90
Potential payments based on acheiving certain milestones																$ 125
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Percentage																20.00%
Closing payment																$ 325
Augmenix, Inc. [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross					$ 500
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High					$ 100
Claret [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross						$ 220
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High						$ 50
Cryterion [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross							$ 202
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Percentage							35.00%
NxThera [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross								$ 240
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High								$ 85
nVision [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross									$ 150
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High									$ 125
Other 2018 Acquisitions [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross													$ 158
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High													62
2018 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value												251
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired												1,449
Fair value of contingent consideration												248
Goodwill												939
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles												939
Indefinite-lived intangible assets												213
Total												1,948
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets												38
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities												(19)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities												(162)
Intangible Assets Acquired, Finite and Indefinite-lived												$ 1,153
Apama [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired										$ 175
Potential payments based on acheiving certain milestones										$ 125
Symetis [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross											$ 430
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												13 years
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | 2017 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 268
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												24.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | 2019 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 210
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												12 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												15.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | BTG Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 1,709
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | BTG Acquisition [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												10 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												11.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | BTG Acquisition [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												18 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												12.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | 2018 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 908
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%
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%
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] | 2017 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 10
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												24.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | 2019 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 10
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												12 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												15.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | BTG Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 75
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												11.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | BTG Acquisition [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												2 years
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | BTG Acquisition [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life												11 years
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | 2018 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 31
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%
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%
In Process Research and Development [Member] | 2017 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												15.00%
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 464
In Process Research and Development [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)												$ 662	486
In Process Research and Development [Member] | 2019 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation												19.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 240
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%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired												$ 213
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | R&D, Regulatory and Commercialization-based Milestone [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration												$ 198
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												2.00%
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment												40.00%
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												3.00%
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment												90.00%
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | R&D, Regulatory and Commercialization-based Milestone [Member] | Weighted Average [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input												3.00%
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment												82.00%
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | Revenue-based payments by valuation technique [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration												$ 156
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%
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%
Valuation Technique, Discounted Cash Flow [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Weighted Average [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input | Rate												13.00%
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment												99.00%
Cardiovascular [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax												$ 4,208	3,777	3,500
Goodwill												5,676	3,925	3,704
Goodwill, Acquired During Period												1,712	224
Cardiovascular [Member] | BTG Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period												1,406
Other Segments [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax												81
Goodwill												247	0	$ 0
Goodwill, Acquired During Period												$ 238	$ 0
divested business due to BTG acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration	16
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High	$ 200