Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($) business	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($) business reportablesegments	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)
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	$ 2,932	$ 2,659	$ 8,761	$ 7,204
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Amortization expense	(184)	(197)	(549)	(595)
Operating income (loss)	387	(205)	1,019	(130)
Other expense, net	95	(22)	(62)	(256)
Income (loss) before income taxes	483	(227)	957	(386)
MedSurg [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	917	825	2,725	2,175
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	$ 338	$ 307	$ 1,033	$ 738
Segment Operating Income as a Percentage of Net Sales	36.80%	37.20%	37.90%	33.90%
Rhythm and Neuro [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 819	$ 757	$ 2,436	$ 1,985
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	$ 160	$ 165	$ 476	$ 296
Segment Operating Income as a Percentage of Net Sales	19.50%	21.90%	19.50%	14.90%
Cardiovascular [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 1,196	$ 1,002	$ 3,588	$ 2,862
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	$ 361	$ 208	$ 1,117	$ 593
Segment Operating Income as a Percentage of Net Sales	30.20%	20.80%	31.10%	20.70%
BSX Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,932	$ 2,584	$ 8,748	$ 7,021
Total allocated to reportable segments [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating income (loss)	859	680	2,626	1,628
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating income (loss)	0	49	4	124
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Operating Income Unallocated to Segment	(109)	(108)	(438)	(330)
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	$ (178)	$ (629)	$ (624)	$ (957)