| **Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) and Supplemental Equity Information - Schedule of Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions** | 3 Months Ended |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|
||
| **Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]**                                                                                                           |           |   |
| Other (income) expense                                                                                                                                                                               | $ 53           | $ (3) |
| Cost of sales                                                                                                                                                                                        | (487)          | (395) |
| Income tax expense                                                                                                                                                                                   | 41             | 52 |
| Net earnings attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc.                                                                                                                                                  | (95)           | (262) |
| Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income                                                                             |           |   |
| **Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]**                                                                                                           |           |   |
| Other (income) expense                                                                                                                                                                               | 0              | (4) |
| Income tax expense                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0              | 2 |
| Net earnings attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc.                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | (2) |
| Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income                                                                                    |           |   |
| **Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]**                                                                                                           |           |   |
| Cost of sales                                                                                                                                                                                        | (6)            | 0 |
| Income tax expense                                                                                                                                                                                   | 2              | 0 |
| Net earnings attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc.                                                                                                                                                  | $ (4)          | $ 0 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total costs related to goods produced and sold during the reporting period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a),(b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Income Tax Expense (or Benefit) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515339
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Net Income -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51831255Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.19) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913Reference 4: 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=d3e3550-109257Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.18) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Other Comprehensive Income -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51831270Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 19 -Article 5Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 20 -Article 9
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The net amount of other income and expense amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating income (expense) recognized for the period. Such amounts may include: (a) dividends, (b) interest on securities, (c) net gains or losses on securities, (d) unusual costs, (e) gains or losses on foreign exchange transactions, and (f) miscellaneous other income and expense items.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
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.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ReclassificationAdjustmentOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeAxis=us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedNetGainLossFromDesignatedOrQualifyingCashFlowHedgesMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |