-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 OLMk95pPifKLS+pmw/2lCNX6MV8kL3Xcj6dsu2lRO6mWQ7f491mXUNFEalhZnwL2
 9KhY92uDyp1tQRKGxe5ZFg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-09-015161.txt : 20091106
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-09-015161.hdr.sgml : 20091106
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20091106160354
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-09-015161
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20091104
FILED AS OF DATE:		20091106
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20091106

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ST JUDE MEDICAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000203077
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTROMEDICAL & ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS [3845]
		IRS NUMBER:				411276891
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE ST JUDE MEDICAL DRIVE
		CITY:			ST PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55117
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6517562000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE ST JUDE MEDICAL DRIVE
		CITY:			ST PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55117

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SONG JANE
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001233302

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-12441
		FILM NUMBER:		091164816

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE ST JUDE MEDICAL DRIVE
		CITY:			ST. PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55117
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-11-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000203077</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ST JUDE MEDICAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>STJ</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001233302</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SONG JANE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE ST. JUDE MEDICAL DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ST. PAUL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55117</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President, AF Division</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-11-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>40500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>18.26</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>66958</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-11-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>40500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>34.59</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>26458</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>18.26</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-11-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>40500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-12-10</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-12-10</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>40500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price in Column 4 is a weighted average.  The prices actually received ranged from $34.54 to $34.82.  The reporting person will provide to the issuer, any security holder of the issuer, or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kashif Rashid, Attorney in Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-11-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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