| **Business Combinations Business Combinations** | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       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| **Business Combinations [Abstract]**            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      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| Business Combination Disclosure [Text Block]    | BUSINESS COMBINATIONSEndosense S.A.: On August 19, 2013, the Company acquired all the outstanding shares of Endosense S.A. (Endosense) for the equivalent of $171 million (160 million Swiss Francs) in net cash consideration using available cash from outside the United States (U.S.). Endosense is based in Geneva, Switzerland and develops, manufactures and markets the TactiCath® irrigated ablation catheter to provide physicians a real-time, objective measure of the force to apply to the heart wall during a catheter ablation procedure. The Endosense force-sensing technology is CE Mark-approved for atrial fibrillation and supra ventricular tachycardia ablation. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, the Company is obligated to make an additional cash payment of up to 150 million Swiss Francs (approximately $168 million at June 28, 2014), contingent upon both the achievement and timing of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Consistent with the provisions of the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 805, Business Combinations (ASC Topic 805) the Company accrued the contingent payment on the date of acquisition after determining its fair value of $132 million in arriving at $303 million of total consideration, net of cash acquired. The contingent consideration liability (approximately $148 million at June 28, 2014) is reflected in other current liabilities as of June 28, 2014 and is remeasured to fair value at each reporting period with changes in fair value reflected in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The purchase price allocation is preliminary subject to finalization of the fair value valuation. Nanostim, Inc.: On October 11, 2013, the Company exercised its exclusive purchase option and acquired all the outstanding shares of Nanostim, Inc. (Nanostim) for $121 million in net cash consideration. The Company previously held an investment in Nanostim, which provided the Company with an 18% voting equity interest. Nanostim is based in Sunnyvale, California and has developed the first leadless, miniaturized cardiac pacemaker system, which received CE Mark approval in August 2013. The Nanostim™ leadless pacemaker also received FDA conditional approval in September 2013 for its Investigational Device Exemption application and pivotal clinical trial protocol to begin evaluating the technology in the U.S. The terms of the Company’s original investment agreement with Nanostim included an exclusive fixed price purchase option to acquire the remaining 82% equity interest in Nanostim. In accordance with ASC Topic 810, Consolidations (ASC Topic 810), the Company previously concluded that Nanostim was a VIE, but that St. Jude Medical was not the primary beneficiary as it did not retain power to direct the activities of Nanostim that most significantly impacted its economic performance.  The Company previously reflected its investment in Nanostim as a cost method investment in other assets.At the time of acquisition, the Company's 18% voting equity interest in Nanostim was remeasured to fair value of $33 million, which approximated its carrying value, and the related remeasurement gain was not material. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, the Company is obligated to make additional cash payments of up to $65 million, contingent upon the achievement and timing of certain revenue-based milestones. Consistent with the provisions of ASC Topic 805, the Company accrued the contingent payment after determining its fair value of $56 million in arriving at $210 million of total consideration, net of cash acquired. The contingent consideration accrual (approximately $58 million at June 28, 2014) is reflected in other liabilities and is remeasured to fair value at each reporting period with changes in fair value reflected in the CondensedConsolidated Statements of Earnings. The purchase price allocation is preliminary subject to finalization of the fair value valuation. The following table summarizes the purchase price allocation as of the respective dates of acquisition of the estimated fair values of net assets acquired and liabilities assumed as a result of the Company's acquisitions of Endosense and Nanostim during fiscal year 2013 as follows (in millions):  EndosenseNanostimTotalAssets acquired:    Current assets $2$1$3Goodwill 258149407In-process research and development (IPR&D) 332760Other intangible assets 203454Other long-term assets 112   Total assets acquired 314212526     Liabilities assumed:    Current liabilities 11213Net assets acquired 303210513     Cash paid 180124304Cash acquired (9)(3)(12)Net cash consideration 171121292Contingent consideration 13256188Fair value of St. Jude Medical, Inc.'s previously held interest —3333Total purchase consideration $303$210$513Spinal Modulation, Inc.: On June 7, 2013, the Company made an equity investment of $40 million in Spinal Modulation, a privately-held company that is focused on the development of an intraspinal neuromodulation therapy that delivers spinal cord stimulation targeting the dorsal root ganglion to manage chronic pain. The investment agreement resulted in the Company obtaining a 19% voting equity interest and provided the Company with the exclusive right, but not the obligation, to acquire Spinal Modulation for payments of up to $300 million during the period that extends through the completion of certain regulatory milestones. Additionally, in connection with the investment and contingent acquisition agreement, the Company also entered into an exclusive international distribution agreement, and obtained significant decision-making rights over Spinal Modulation's operations and economic performance. The Company also committed to providing additional debt financing to Spinal Modulation of up to $15 million. Accordingly, effective June 7, 2013, the Company determined that Spinal Modulation was a VIE for which St. Jude Medical is the primary beneficiary with the financial condition and results of operations of Spinal Modulation included in St. Jude Medical's consolidated financial statements. The Company has a 19% voting equity interest in Spinal Modulation and allocates the losses attributable to Spinal Modulation's noncontrolling shareholders to noncontrolling interest in St. Jude Medical's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The initial consolidation of a VIE that is determined to be a business is accounted for as a business combination. During the second quarter of 2014, the Company finalized the allocation of Spinal Modulation's assets and liabilities included in the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet, recognizing a fair value adjustment of $36 million to decrease goodwill and noncontrolling interest. These changes have been reflected retrospectively in the June 7, 2013 balances presented in the following table. The following table also summarizes Spinal Modulation’s assets and liabilities included in St. Jude Medical's condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 28, 2014 after elimination of all intercompany balances and transactions (in millions):  June 7, 2013June 28, 2014Cash and cash equivalents $41$9Other current assets 97Goodwill 4646IPR&D 4545Other intangible assets 77Other long-term assets 1—   Total assets 149114    Current liabilities 66Deferred income taxes, net 1919   Total liabilities 2525    Non-controlling interest $84$56If the Company acquires Spinal Modulation, the contingent acquisition agreement also provides for additional consideration payments contingent upon the achievement of certain revenue-based milestones. In the event the Company acquires the noncontrolling interest of Spinal Modulation, the contingent payments would be recognized at the then-current fair value as an equity transaction. CardioMEMS, Inc.: During 2010, the Company made an equity investment of $60 million in CardioMEMS, a privately-held company that is focused on the development of a wireless monitoring technology that can be placed directly into the pulmonary artery to assess cardiac performance via measurement of pulmonary artery pressure. The investment agreement resulted in the Company obtaining a 19% voting equity interest and provided the Company with the exclusive right, but not the obligation, to acquire CardioMEMS for an additional payment of $375 million less any net debt payable to St. Jude Medical, Inc. under a separate loan agreement entered into between CardioMEMS and the Company.  In the first quarter of 2013, the Company obtained significant decision-making rights over CardioMEMS' operations and provided debt financing of $28 million to CardioMEMS, which was collateralized by substantially all the assets of CardioMEMS including its intellectual property. In July 2013, the Company provided $9 million of additional debt financing to CardioMEMS. In accordance with ASC Topic 810, the Company reconsidered its arrangements with CardioMEMS and determined that effective February 27, 2013 CardioMEMS was a VIE for which St. Jude Medical was the primary beneficiary with the financial condition and results of operations of CardioMEMS included in St. Jude Medical's consolidated financial statements. The Company recognized a $29 million charge to other expense during the first quarter of 2013 (see Note 10) to adjust the carrying value of its previously held equity investment and fixed price purchase option to fair value. In the second quarter of 2014, the Company exercised its exclusive option and paid $344 million to shareholders and $18 million for pre-existing fee and compensation arrangements to obtain the remaining 81% ownership interest. The $344 million paid in the second quarter of 2014 was classified as a financing activity in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. As the Company retained its controlling interest, the payment resulted in a decrease in shareholders’ equity before noncontrolling interest of $297 million and a decrease in noncontrolling interest of $47 million. CardioMEMS’ results of operations continue to be included in the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.NeuroTherm, Inc.: On July 14, 2014, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held NeuroTherm, Inc. (NeuroTherm) for approximately $200 million in cash. The transaction is estimated to close by the end of the third quarter of 2014. NeuroTherm is based in Wilmington, Massachusetts and is a global manufacturer of interventional pain management therapies, including the treatment of spinal pain using radiofrequency ablation, a segment of the chronic pain market in which the Company currently does not participate. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for a business combination (or series of individually immaterial business combinations) completed during the period, including background, timing, and recognized assets and liabilities. The disclosure may include leverage buyout transactions (as applicable).
+ References
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