Acquisitions and Strategic Investments (Details) £ / shares in Units, $ / shares in Units, £ in Millions										12 Months Ended
	Feb. 14, 2022 USD ($)	Nov. 08, 2021 USD ($)	Sep. 01, 2021 USD ($)	Aug. 06, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 01, 2021 USD ($)	Aug. 19, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 19, 2019 GBP (£) £ / shares	Jun. 11, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 29, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 19, 2019 $ / shares
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture of certain businesses										$ 826,000,000	$ 15,000,000	$ 90,000,000
Proceeds from royalty rights transfer										0	0	256,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability										486,000,000	196,000,000	354,000,000
Goodwill										11,988,000,000	9,951,000,000	10,176,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired										2,258,000,000	3,000,000	4,382,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration										(486,000,000)	(196,000,000)	(354,000,000)
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Liability, Purchases										440,000,000	0	127,000,000
Intangible asset impairment charges										370,000,000	460,000,000	105,000,000
Contingent consideration net expense (benefit)										(136,000,000)	(100,000,000)	(35,000,000)
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration											$ 800,000,000
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale or Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration					$ 800,000,000
Divestiture, agreement, transfer of facilities					5						5
Divestiture, agreement, transfer of global employees					280						280
Subsequent Event [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross	$ 1,750,000,000
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill										0	$ 0	247,000,000
BTG Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Share Price | (per share)							£ 8.40						$ 10.20
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross						$ 4,023,000,000.000	£ 3,312
Cash Acquired from Acquisition						$ 404,000,000
Proceeds from royalty rights transfer												256,000,000
Goodwill										1,635,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Receivables										108,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Inventory										232,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets										252,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										1,785,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Assets										538,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities										(308,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities										274,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities										(349,000,000)
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Including Equity Interest in Acquiree Held Prior to Combination										3,619,000,000		$ 3,619,000,000
BTG Acquisition [Member] | Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill										1,399,000,000
BTG Acquisition [Member] | Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill										236,000,000
BTG Acquisition [Member] | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 1,709,000,000
BTG Acquisition [Member] | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										11.00%
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										10 years
BTG Acquisition [Member] | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										12.00%
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										18 years
BTG Acquisition [Member] | Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 75,000,000
BTG Acquisition [Member] | Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										11.00%
BTG Acquisition [Member] | Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										2 years
BTG Acquisition [Member] | Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										11 years
Vertiflex, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross								$ 465,000,000
Contingent consideration payments made to prior shareholders to date										$ 20,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, Low								0
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High								$ 100,000,000
Millipede [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross									$ 325,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Percentage									20.00%
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred									$ 90,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High									$ 125,000,000
Intangible asset impairment charges										242,000,000
Contingent consideration net expense (benefit)										104,000,000
2019 Acquisitions (Vertiflex and Millipede)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability										127,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value										102,000,000
Goodwill										577,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										220,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets										240,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets										24,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities										(12,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities										(58,000,000)
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Including Equity Interest in Acquiree Held Prior to Combination										992,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill										461,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired										763,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration										(127,000,000)
2019 Acquisitions (Vertiflex and Millipede) | In Process Research and Development [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets										$ 240,000,000
2019 Acquisitions (Vertiflex and Millipede) | In Process Research and Development [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										19.00%
2019 Acquisitions (Vertiflex and Millipede) | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 210,000,000
2019 Acquisitions (Vertiflex and Millipede) | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										15.00%
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										12 years
2019 Acquisitions (Vertiflex and Millipede) | Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 10,000,000
2019 Acquisitions (Vertiflex and Millipede) | Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										15.00%
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										12 years
Preventice Solutions, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability										$ 221,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value										269,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net										1,197,000,000
Goodwill										926,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										237,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets										0
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets										65,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities										(32,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities										0
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Including Equity Interest in Acquiree Held Prior to Combination					$ 925,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Percentage					22.00%
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill										237,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High					$ 230,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired				$ 268,000,000	706,000,000					706,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration										(221,000,000)
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain					196,000,000
Business combination, contingent consideration arrangements, range of outcomes, value, high, including prior interest					$ 300,000,000
Preventice Solutions, Inc. [Member] | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 215,000,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										9 years
Preventice Solutions, Inc. [Member] | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										10.00%
Preventice Solutions, Inc. [Member] | Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 22,000,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										8 years
Preventice Solutions, Inc. [Member] | Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										10.00%
Farapulse, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Including Equity Interest in Acquiree Held Prior to Combination				$ 450,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Percentage		16.00%		27.00%
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High				$ 92,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain				222,000,000
Business combination, contingent consideration arrangements, range of outcomes, value, high, including prior interest				$ 125,000,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Additional Revenue Payment, period [Line Items]				3 years
Lumenis LTD
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability										$ 0
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value										0
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net										1,032,000,000
Goodwill										544,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										423,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets										69,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets										115,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities										(101,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities										(18,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill										492,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired			$ 1,032,000,000.000							1,032,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration										0
Lumenis LTD | In Process Research and Development [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 69,000,000
Lumenis LTD | In Process Research and Development [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										12.00%
Lumenis LTD | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 388,000,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										12 years
Lumenis LTD | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										11.00%
Lumenis LTD | Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 35,000,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										11 years
Lumenis LTD | Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										11.00%
Devoro Medical, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Including Equity Interest in Acquiree Held Prior to Combination		$ 320,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High		67,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		251,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain		57,000,000
Business combination, contingent consideration arrangements, range of outcomes, value, high, including prior interest		$ 80,000,000
All Other 2021 Acquisitions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability										$ 218,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value										287,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net										1,025,000,000
Goodwill										594,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										465,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets										43,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets										9,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities										(11,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities										(75,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill										508,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired										519,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration										(218,000,000)
All Other 2021 Acquisitions | In Process Research and Development [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 43,000,000
All Other 2021 Acquisitions | In Process Research and Development [Member] | Weighted Average (Member)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										17.00%
All Other 2021 Acquisitions | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										$ 465,000,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										12 years
All Other 2021 Acquisitions | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										16.00%
All Other 2021 Acquisitions | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount Rate, Fair Value Input										17.00%
2021 Acquisitions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability										$ 440,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value										556,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net										3,254,000,000
Goodwill										2,064,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles										1,125,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets										112,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets										190,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities										(144,000,000)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities										(93,000,000)
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High										986,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired										2,258,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration										$ (440,000,000)