|**Business Combinations Business Combinations (Tables)**             | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|-------------------------------------------------------------------- | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|**Business Combinations [Abstract]**                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Schedule of Business Acquisitions, by Acquisition [Table Text Block] | The following table summarizes the preliminary estimated fair values of CardioMEMS' assets and liabilities included in St. Jude Medical'sCondensed Consolidated Balance Sheetsas of February 27, 2013 in accordance withBusiness Combinations,(Topic 805), (in millions):Current assets$8Goodwill84Acquired in-process research and development (IPR&D)69Other long-term assets2Total assets$163Current liabilities$13Deferred income taxes, net26Other long-term liabilities4Total liabilities$43Non-controlling interest$89
|                                                                    
|                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Current assets                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Goodwill                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Acquired in-process research and development (IPR&D)                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Other long-term assets                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total assets                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Current liabilities                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Deferred income taxes, net                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Other long-term liabilities                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total liabilities                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Non-controlling interest                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

X- Details**Name:**
                    us-gaap_BusinessCombinationsAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**
                    us-gaap_**Data Type:**
                    xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**
                    na**Period Type:**
                    duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of a material business combination completed during the period, including background, timing, and recognized assets and liabilities. This table  does not include leveraged buyouts.+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 51 -Subparagraph a -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141R -Paragraph F4 -Subparagraph e -Appendix FReference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7659399&loc=d3e1392-128463Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141R -Paragraph 68 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7659399&loc=d3e1486-128463Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 52 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.+ Details**Name:**
                    us-gaap_ScheduleOfBusinessAcquisitionsByAcquisitionTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
                    us-gaap_**Data Type:**
                    nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
                    na**Period Type:**
                    duration