Restructuring Charges (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 26, 2013	Apr. 27, 2012		Apr. 29, 2011	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2013 Initiative Positions	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2013 Initiative	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2013 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2013 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2013 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2013 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2013 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2013 Initiative Other Restructuring	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2013 Initiative Other Restructuring	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Positions	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Other Restructuring	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Other Restructuring	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Other Restructuring	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Positions	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Physio-Control Positions	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 26, 2013 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Other Restructuring	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Other Restructuring
Changes in Restructuring Reserves
Balance as of						$ 0		$ 0		$ 0			$ 0			$ 91	$ 0		$ 64	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0			$ 27	$ 0			$ 4	$ 204	$ 0			$ 0	$ 157	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0		$ 4	$ 47	$ 0
Restructuring charges	172	87	[1]	259	192	192	150	150	13	13	18	11	29		118		118	66		66	9		9	30	13		43		272			257	2	177			162	24			24	45			71	26
Payments/Write-downs						(22)		(3)		(13)			(6)			(77)	(27)		(54)	(2)		0	(9)			(23)	(16)			(4)	(169)	(53)			0	(134)	(5)		0	0	(24)		(4)	(35)	(24)
Reversal of excess accrual														10		(10)			(10)			0				0		(31)			(31)					(23)				0				(8)
Balance as of					170	170	147	147	0	0		23	23	4	91	4	91	64	0	64	0	0	0		27	4	27	4	204	0	4	204		157	0	0	157	0	0	0	0	47	0	4	47
Incremental defined benefit pension and post-retirement related expenses	419	319		368																														15
Inventory write-downs and production related asset impairments									10																													11
Impairment loss of intangilble assets																																															$ 19
Expected number of positions eliminated					2,000										1,000														2,100				55

[1] For fiscal years 2013 and 2011, restructuring charges, net within this table include the impact of amounts recorded within cost of products sold in the consolidated statements of earnings related to the fiscal year 2013 initiative and fiscal year 2011 initiative, respectively.