Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($) business	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($) business reportablesegments	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number Of Businesses | business	7		7
Number of reportable segments | reportablesegments			3
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 3,077	$ 2,003	$ 5,829	$ 4,546
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Amortization expense	(180)	(197)	(365)	(398)
Operating income (loss)	262	(71)	632	75
Other expense, net	(113)	(110)	(157)	(234)
Income (loss) before income taxes	149	(181)	474	(159)
MedSurg [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	948	576	1,808	1,350
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	$ 363	$ 173	$ 695	$ 432
Segment Operating Income as a Percentage of Net Sales	38.30%	30.10%	38.50%	32.00%
Rhythm and Neuro [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 866	$ 525	$ 1,617	$ 1,228
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	$ 168	$ 32	$ 316	$ 131
Segment Operating Income as a Percentage of Net Sales	19.30%	6.10%	19.50%	10.70%
Cardiovascular [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 1,263	$ 834	$ 2,392	$ 1,860
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	$ 418	$ 186	$ 756	$ 385
Segment Operating Income as a Percentage of Net Sales	33.10%	22.30%	31.60%	20.70%
BSX Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 3,077	$ 1,935	$ 5,816	$ 4,437
Total allocated to reportable segments [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating income (loss)	949	391	1,767	947
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating income (loss)	0	49	4	75
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Unallocated to Segment	(176)	(189)	(329)	(222)
Intangible asset impairment charges, acquisition/divestiture-related net (charges) credits, restructuring- and restructuring-related net (charges) credits, EU MDR implementation costs and litigation-related net (charges) credits
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Unallocated to Segment	$ (331)	$ (125)	$ (445)	$ (327)