Revenue (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($) units	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 3,026	$ 2,752
Emerging Markets total countries | units	20
Net sales	$ 3,026	2,752
Contract with Customer, Liability [Abstract]
Contract with Customer, Liability	491		$ 484
Change in Contract with Customer, Liability [Abstract]
Contract with Customer, Liability, Revenue Recognized	42	36
United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,778	1,586
Net sales	1,778	1,586
International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,248	1,166
Net sales	1,248	1,166
Emerging Markets [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	390	317
Net sales	390	317
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	531	499
Net sales	531	499
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	312	280
Net sales	312	280
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	220	219
Net sales	220	219
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	413	361
Net sales	413	361
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	286	257
Net sales	286	257
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	127	104
Net sales	127	104
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	519	469
Net sales	519	469
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	325	276
Net sales	325	276
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	195	193
Net sales	195	193
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	118	83
Net sales	118	83
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	50	30
Net sales	50	30
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	68	53
Net sales	68	53
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	209	198
Net sales	209	198
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	161	151
Net sales	161	151
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	49	46
Net sales	49	46
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,407	1,248
Net sales	1,407	1,248
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	764	650
Net sales	764	650
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	644	599
Net sales	644	599
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	465	433
Net sales	465	433
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	256	238
Net sales	256	238
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	210	195
Net sales	210	195
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	0	13
Net sales	0	13
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	0	10
Net sales	0	10
Specialty Pharmaceuticals [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	0	4
Net sales	0	4
Watchman
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	226	170
Net sales	226	170
Watchman | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	203	149
Net sales	203	149
Watchman | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	23	22
Net sales	23	22
Interventional Cardiology Therapies
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	544	526
Net sales	544	526
Interventional Cardiology Therapies | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	186	195
Net sales	186	195
Interventional Cardiology Therapies | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	358	331
Net sales	358	331
BSX Reportable Segments [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	3,026	2,739
Net sales	3,026	2,739
BSX Reportable Segments [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,778	1,577
Net sales	1,778	1,577
BSX Reportable Segments [Member] | EMEA [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	624	604
Net sales	624	604
BSX Reportable Segments [Member] | APAC [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	517	473
Net sales	517	473
BSX Reportable Segments [Member] | Latin America and Canada [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	107	85
Net sales	107	85
MedSurg [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,153	1,058
Net sales	1,153	1,058
MedSurg [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	758	689
Net sales	758	689
MedSurg [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	395	369
Net sales	395	369
Cardiovascular [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,873	1,681
Net sales	1,873	1,681
Cardiovascular [Member] | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,019	888
Net sales	1,019	888
Cardiovascular [Member] | International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	853	793
Net sales	$ 853	$ 793