Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income and Supplemental Equity Information Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income and Supplemental Equity Information - Narrative (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified

12 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

Jan. 03, 2015

Dec. 28, 2013

Dec. 29, 2012

Apr. 04, 2015

Jan. 13, 2015

Jun. 28, 2014

Stock Repurchased During Period, Value

$ 434us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue

$ 808us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue

$ 1,058us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue

Cash dividends declared per share

$ 1.08us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared

$ 1.00us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared

$ 0.92us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared

Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests

344us-gaap_MinorityInterestDecreaseFromRedemptions

Subsequent Event [Member]

Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount

500us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember

Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares

6,200,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember

Stock Repurchased During Period, Value

413us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember

Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share

$ 66.88us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember

Cash dividends declared per share

$ 0.29us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember

CardioMEMS, Inc [Member]

Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests

344us-gaap_MinorityInterestDecreaseFromRedemptions
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= stj_CardioMEMSIncMember

Business Combination, Separately Recognized Transactions, Additional Disclosures, Acquisition-related Costs

18us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAdditionalDisclosuresAcquisitionCosts
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= stj_CardioMEMSIncMember

Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired

81.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= stj_CardioMEMSIncMember

CardioMEMS, Inc [Member] | Parent Company [Member]

Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests

297us-gaap_MinorityInterestDecreaseFromRedemptions
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= stj_CardioMEMSIncMember
/ us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember

CardioMEMS, Inc [Member] | Noncontrolling Interest [Member]

Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests

$ 47us-gaap_MinorityInterestDecreaseFromRedemptions
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= stj_CardioMEMSIncMember
/ us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis
= us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestMember

- Definition

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

For transactions that are recognized separately from the acquisition of assets and assumptions of liabilities in the business combination, such as related to pre-existing relationships with the acquiree, this element represents the disclosure of the amount of acquisition related costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (f)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAdditionalDisclosuresAcquisitionCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate dividends declared during the period for each share of common stock outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Decrease in noncontrolling interest (for example, but not limited to, redeeming or purchasing the interests of noncontrolling shareholders, issuance of shares (interests) by the non-wholly owned subsidiary to the parent entity for other than cash, and a buyback of shares (interest) by the non-wholly owned subsidiary from the noncontrolling interests).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 23

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7656940&loc=SL4569655-111683

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 24

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7656940&loc=SL4616395-111683

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestDecreaseFromRedemptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and have not been retired and are not held in treasury. Some state laws may govern the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity impact of the value of stock that has been repurchased during the period and has not been retired and is not held in treasury. Some state laws may mandate the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30, 31

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total cost of shares repurchased divided by the total number of shares repurchased.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=stj_CardioMEMSIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: