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Share Tracking Award Plans (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Jan. 30, 2014
Share tracking award plans (STAP)        
Awards granted under the STAP        
Share-based awards, vesting period 4 years      
Grant expiration period from the grant date 10 years      
Aggregate STAP liability $ 322,700,000uthr_ShareTrackingAwardPlansCurrentAndNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Long term portion of STAP liability 40,600,000uthr_ShareTrackingAwardPlansNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Expected volatility maximum period 5 years      
Assumptions used to measure the fair value of STAP awards        
Expected volatility (as a percent) 34.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsWeightedAverageVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
32.70%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsWeightedAverageVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
32.80%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsWeightedAverageVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
 
Risk-free interest rate (as a percent) 1.30%uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
1.10%uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
0.50%uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
 
Expected term of awards 4 years 3 years 10 months 24 days 3 years 8 months 12 days  
Expected forfeiture rate (as a percent) 9.30%uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsForfeitureRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
10.10%uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsForfeitureRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
8.70%uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsForfeitureRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
 
Expected dividend yield (as a percent) 0.00%uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
0.00%uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
0.00%uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
 
Share-based awards activity        
Outstanding at the beginning of the year (in shares) 8,734,901uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Granted (in shares) 1,604,525us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Exercised (in shares) (2,315,093)uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsExercisedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Forfeited (in shares) (307,909)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Outstanding at the end of the year (in shares) 7,716,424uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
8,734,901uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
   
Exercisable at the end of the year (in shares) 2,618,117uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsExercisableNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Expected to vest at the end of the year (in shares) 4,615,370uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsExpectedToVestNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Share awards, Weighted-Average Exercise Price        
Outstanding at the beginning of the year (in dollars per share) $ 52.75uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Granted (in dollars per share) $ 95.39uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Exercised (in dollars per share) $ 48.01uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Forfeited (in dollars per share) $ 63.96uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsForfeituresInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Outstanding at the end of the year (in dollars per share) $ 62.59uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
$ 52.75uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
   
Exercisable at the end of the year (in dollars per share) $ 52.69uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Expected to vest at the end of the year (in dollars per share) $ 67.89uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsExpectedToVestOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Share awards, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term        
Outstanding at the end the year 7 years 4 months 24 days      
Exercisable at the end of the year 5 years 10 months 24 days      
Expected to vest at the end of the year 8 years 2 months 12 days      
Share awards, Aggregate Intrinsic Value        
Outstanding at the end of the year (in dollars) 516,222,000us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsAggregateIntrinsicValueOutstanding
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Exercisable at the end of the year (in dollars) 201,075,000uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Expected to vest at the end of the year (in dollars) $ 284,296,000uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOtherThanOptionsExpectedToVestOutstandingAggregateIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
     
Awards granted during the period, weighted average grant date fair value (in dollars per share) $ 33.82us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
$ 24.78us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
$ 21.28us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlanMember
 
Share tracking award plans (STAP) | Minimum        
Awards granted under the STAP        
Share-based awards, vesting period 1 year      
2011 share tracking awards plan (STAP)        
Awards granted under the STAP        
Number of awards remained available for grant 2,700,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlan2011Member
     
Additional increase in total number of awards available for grant (in shares)       3,000,000uthr_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardIncreaseInNumberOfAuthorizedSharesAvailableForGrant
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= uthr_ShareTrackingAwardsPlan2011Member