| **Business Combinations Business Combination (Schedule of Variable Interest Entities) (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified** | Jan. 03, 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                       | Dec. 28, 2013           | Dec. 29, 2012           | Jun. 07, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Statement [Line Items]**                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                    |                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Goodwill                                                                                                                                         | $ 3,532us-gaap_Goodwill                                                                                                                                                                                             | $ 3,524us-gaap_Goodwill | $ 2,961us-gaap_Goodwill |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Spinal Modulation [Member]                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                    |                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Statement [Line Items]**                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                    |                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Cash and cash equivalents                                                                                                                        | 9us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCashAndEquivalents/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                |                    |                    | 41us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCashAndEquivalents/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember               |
| Other current assets                                                                                                                             | 7us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentAssetsOther/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                |                    |                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Goodwill                                                                                                                                         | 46us-gaap_Goodwill/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                                                                                                     |                    |                    | 46us-gaap_Goodwill/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                                                                                                     |
| In-Process Research and Development                                                                                                              | 45stj_InProcessResearchandDevelopment/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                                                                                  |                    |                    | 45stj_InProcessResearchandDevelopment/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                                                                                  |
| Other intangible assets                                                                                                                          | 7us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember |                    |                    | 7us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember |
| Business Combinations Total Assets Acquired, including Goodwill                                                                                  | 114stj_BusinessCombinationsTotalAssetsAcquiredincludingGoodwill/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                                                        |                    |                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Current liabilities                                                                                                                              | 5us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilities/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                |                    |                    | 6us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilities/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                |
| Deferred income taxes                                                                                                                            | 19us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedDeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember |                    |                    | 19us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedDeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember |
| Total liabilities                                                                                                                                | 24us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedLiabilities/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                      |                    |                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Noncontrolling interest                                                                                                                          | $ 45us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionOfLessThan100PercentNoncontrollingInterestFairValue/ us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAxis= stj_SpinalModulationMember                          |                    |                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Business Combinations Total Assets Acquired, including Goodwill
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
In-Process Research and Development
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents the fair value of the noncontrolling interest in the acquiree at the acquisition date.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, acquired at the acquisition date. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=39739317&loc=d3e4845-128472
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of other assets expected to be realized or consumed before one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, acquired at the acquisition date.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of liabilities due within one year or within the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of intangible assets, excluding goodwill, acquired at the acquisition date.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of liabilities assumed at the acquisition date.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                   |
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                  |
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