| **Quarterly Financial Data**                 | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
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| **Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]**      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| Quarterly Financial Information [Text Block] | QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)  First Second Third Fourth (in millions, except per share amounts)Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter          Fiscal Year 2013:        Net sales$1,338 $1,403 $1,338 $1,422 Gross profit961 1,021 953 992 Net earnings attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc. (a)223(b)115(c)262(d)123(e)Basic net earnings per share$0.78 $0.41 $0.91 $0.42 Diluted net earnings per share$0.78 $0.40 $0.90 $0.42 Cash dividends declared per share$0.25 $0.25 $0.25 $0.25          Fiscal Year 2012:        Net sales$1,395 $1,410 $1,326 $1,372 Gross profit1,014 1,027 971 953 Net earnings attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc. (f)212(g)244 176(h)120(i)Basic net earnings per share$0.67 $0.78 $0.56 $0.39 Diluted net earnings per share$0.67 $0.78 $0.56 $0.39 Cash dividends declared per share$0.23 $0.23 $0.23 $0.23 (a)Restructuring and realignment activities related to previously announced actions as the Company continues to integrate its product divisions and centralize certain support functions resulted in after-tax special charges of $32 million for the first quarter, $34 million for the second quarter, $13 million for the third quarter and $97 million for the fourth quarter of 2013.(b)Includes after-tax acquisition-related charges of $29 million to adjust the carrying value of the Company's pre-existing CardioMEMS equity investment and fixed price purchase option to fair value and a $21 million income tax benefit related to extending the 2012 federal research and development tax credit, retroactive to the beginning of our 2012 tax year.(c)Includes $101 million of after-tax debt retirement costs primarily associated with the make-whole redemption payments and the write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs, $14 million of after-tax special charges related to a license dispute settlement charge, $8 million related to after-tax special charges associated with intangible asset impairment charges and $3 million of after-tax acquisition-related costs.(d)Includes a $15 million income tax benefit related to the settlement of domestic tax audits and $2 million of after-tax charges associated with acquisition-related costs.(e)Includes $25 million of after-tax special charges associated with IESD litigation and field action costs, $19 million of after-tax special charges related to intangible asset impairment charges, $15 million of after-tax acquisition-related costs and a $15 million income tax expense charge related to prior year uncertain tax positions in foreign jurisdictions.(f)Restructuring and realignment activities resulted in after-tax special charges of $29 million for the first quarter, $27 million for the second quarter, $66 million for the third quarter and $75 million for the fourth quarter of 2012.(g)Includes after-tax special charges of $25 million related to a license dispute settlement charge. (h)Includes after-tax special charges of $15 million for intangible asset impairment charges.(i)Includes after-tax special charges of $27 million related to IESD litigation and field action costs and after-tax special charges of $11 million for intangible asset impairment charges and CATD inventory write-offs associated with discontinued product lines. Additionally, the Company recognized $46 million of additional income tax expense related to a settlement reserve for certain prior year tax positions. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for the quarterly financial data in the annual financial statements.  The disclosure may include a tabular presentation of financial information for each fiscal quarter for the current and previous year, including revenues, gross profit, income or loss before extraordinary items and earnings per share data. It also includes an indication if the information in the note is unaudited, comments on the aggregate effect of year-end adjustments, and an explanation of matters or transactions that affect comparability or are pertinent to an understanding of the information furnished.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e765-108305Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e725-108305Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a)-(j) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25249566&loc=d3e1280-108306Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 6 -Section G -Subsection 1Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-K (SK) -Number 229 -Section 302 -Paragraph a
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