Name:	abt_EbpEmployeesAgeOfParticipantsMinimumDistributionCommencement
Namespace Prefix:	abt_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the minimum period that after-tax contributions must be held in the plan before they are eligible for withdrawal.

No definition available.

Name:	abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanMinimumHoldingPeriodForWithdrawalOfAfterTaxContributions
Namespace Prefix:	abt_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of publicly traded companies pursuant to entity having employee benefit plans.

No definition available.

Name:	abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanNumberOfPubliclyTradedCompanies
Namespace Prefix:	abt_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of share that will be received in exchange of shares already held pursuant to employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

No definition available.

Name:	abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanNumberOfSharesExchangedPerSharesHeld
Namespace Prefix:	abt_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Represents the participant age requirement for withdrawal from account balance of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

No definition available.

Name:	abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanParticipantAgeForWithdrawalFromAccountBalance
Namespace Prefix:	abt_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Percentage of minimum pretax annual compensation that participant in employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)), is permitted to contribute to total pretax annual compensation.

No definition available.

Name:	abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanParticipantContributionPretaxMinimumAnnualCompensationToTotalCompensationPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	abt_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the vested percentage pursuant to employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

No definition available.

Name:	abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanVestingPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	abt_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478416/962-205-50-1

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanDescriptionOfPlanLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Percentage of employer matching contribution on eligible participant contribution to employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanEmployerContributionMatchingPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Percentage of participant compensation eligible for employer matching contribution for participant in employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanEmployerContributionParticipantCompensationMatchedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of plan asset, in forfeited nonvested account, no longer allocated to participant in employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanForfeitedNonvestedAccount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of decrease in forfeited nonvested account of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)) from employer contribution.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 325
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 17
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478873/962-325-55-17

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (j)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478416/962-205-50-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6A-04(5)(c))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanForfeitedNonvestedAccountDecreaseForEmployerContribution
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Percentage of maximum pretax annual compensation that participant in employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)), is permitted to contribute to total pretax annual compensation.

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanParticipantContributionPretaxMaximumAnnualCompensationToTotalCompensationPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=abt_EBP334Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanVestingAxis=abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanYearsOfVestingServiceLessThanTwoYearsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanVestingAxis=abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanYearsOfVestingServiceTwoYearsOrAfterMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanVestingAxis=abt_EmployeeBenefitPlanUponDeathOrAttainmentOfAge65Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementScenarioAxis=abt_RegularParticipantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementScenarioAxis=abt_ParticipantsMakingQualifiedStudentLoanRepaymentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementScenarioAxis=abt_NonParticipantsOfAnnuityRetirementPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=abt_EBP002Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementScenarioAxis=abt_NewHiresInSpecifiedAbbottDivisionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: