| **Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Principles of Consolidation (Policies)** | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
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| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]**   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]                                             | Principles of Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries and entities for which St. Jude Medical has a controlling financial interest. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. For variable interest entities (VIEs), the Company assesses the terms of its interest in the entity to determine if St. Jude Medical is the primary beneficiary. Variable interests are ownership, contractual or other interests in an entity that change with increases or decreases in the fair value of the VIE's net assets exclusive of variable interests. The entity that consolidates the VIE is considered the primary beneficiary, and is defined as the party with (1) the power to direct activities of the VIE that most significantly affect the VIE's economic performance and (2) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE. In the first quarter of 2013, the Company determined that CardioMEMS, Inc. (CardioMEMS) was a VIE for which the Company is the primary beneficiary and began consolidating their results effective February 27, 2013. Additionally, during the second quarter of 2013, the Company entered into a $40 million equity investment, contingent acquisition agreement and exclusive distribution agreement with Spinal Modulation, Inc. (Spinal Modulation) and determined it also was a VIE for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company began consolidating Spinal Modulation's results effective June 7, 2013 (see Note 2). |

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| - Definition
Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting.  The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02, 03 -Article 3AReference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2197480Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 40 -Section 45 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/section&trid=2197723Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196966Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 325 -SubTopic 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2197087Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3A-02) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27015204&loc=d3e355033-122828Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16385135&loc=d3e33801-111570Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=d3e5614-111684Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph k -Article 1
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