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Derivatives and Foreign Exchange Risk Management, Fair Value Hedges (Details) (USD $)
9 Months Ended
Jan. 23, 2015
Apr. 25, 2014
Senior Notes 2010 Due 2015    
Fair Value Hedges    
Principal amount $ 1,250,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2010Due2015Member
 
Stated interest rate 3.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2010Due2015Member
 
Senior Notes 2005 Due 2016    
Fair Value Hedges    
Principal amount 600,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2005Due2016Member
 
Stated interest rate 4.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2005Due2016Member
 
Senior Notes 2011 Due 2016    
Fair Value Hedges    
Principal amount 500,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2011Due2016Member
 
Stated interest rate 2.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2011Due2016Member
 
Senior Notes 2011 Due 2021    
Fair Value Hedges    
Principal amount 500,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2011Due2021Member
 
Stated interest rate 4.125%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2011Due2021Member
 
Senior Notes 2012 Due 2022    
Fair Value Hedges    
Principal amount 675,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2012Due2022Member
 
Stated interest rate 3.125%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= mdt_SeniorNotes2012Due2022Member
 
Fair Value Hedging | Interest Rate Swap    
Fair Value Hedges    
Interest rate derivatives hedged items the Company’s $1.250 billion 3.000 percent 2010 Senior Notes and the $600 million 4.750 percent 2005 Senior Notes classified as short-term borrowings, the $500 million 2.625 percent 2011 Senior Notes, the $500 million 4.125 percent 2011 Senior Notes, and the $675 million 3.125 percent 2012 Senior Notes  
Unrealized gain on interest rate fair value hedging instruments 96,000,000mdt_FairValueOfInterestRateFairValueHedgingInstruments
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
 
Unrealized loss on interest rate fair value hedged items (96,000,000)mdt_FairValueOfHedgedItemInInterestRateFairValueHedge
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
 
Designated as Hedging Instrument | Fair Value Hedging | Interest Rate Swap    
Fair Value Hedges    
Derivative, notional amount $ 2,625,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
$ 2,625,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember