| **Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)**             | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| **Accounting Policies [Abstract]**                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Summary Of Components Of Available-For-Sale Securities              | The following table summarizes the components of the balance of the Company's available-for-sale securities at December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012 (in millions):  December 28, 2013 December 29, 2012Adjusted cost$7 $9Gross unrealized gains28 32Fair value$35 $41                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Schedule Of Inventories                                             | Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market with cost determined using the first-in, first-out method. Inventories consisted of the following (in millions):  December 28, 2013 December 29, 2012Finished goods$494 $416Work in process52 50Raw materials162 144 $708 $610                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| Schedule of Product Warranty Liability                              | Changes in the Company's product warranty liability during fiscal years 2013 and 2012 were as follows (in millions):  2013 2012Balance at beginning of period$38 $36Warranty expense recognized3 5Warranty credits issued(4) (3)Balance at end of period$37 $38                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| Schedule Of Computation Of Basic And Diluted Net Earnings Per Share | The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net earnings per share for fiscal years 2013, 2012 and 2011 (in millions, except per share amounts): 2013 2012 2011Numerator:     Net earnings attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc.$723 $752 $826Denominator:     Basic weighted average shares outstanding287.0 313.3 324.3Effect of dilutive securities:     Stock options3.2 1.3 2.6Restricted stock units0.4 0.2 0.2Diluted weighted average shares outstanding290.6 314.8 327.1Basic net earnings per share$2.52 $2.40 $2.55Diluted net earnings per share$2.49 $2.39 $2.52 |

| X                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the reconciliation of available-for-sale securities from cost basis to fair value.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesReconciliationTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of an entity's basic and diluted earnings per share calculations, including a reconciliation of numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted per-share computations for income from continuing operations.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleOfEarningsPerShareBasicAndDilutedTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of merchandise, goods, commodities, or supplies held for future sale or to be used in manufacturing, servicing or production process.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 2 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph a,b,c -Article 5
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleOfInventoryCurrentTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the changes in the guarantor's aggregate product warranty liability, including the beginning balance of the aggregate product warranty liability, the aggregate reductions in that liability for payments made (in cash or in kind) under the warranty, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to product warranties issued during the reporting period, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to preexisting warranties (including adjustments related to changes in estimates), and the ending balance of the aggregate product warranty liability.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleOfProductWarrantyLiabilityTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |