Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	$ 7,085	$ 7,127	$ 7,481
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,546	1,564	1,670
Total assets allocated to reportable segment	3,914	3,852
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	7,241	7,127	7,359
Segment Reporting, Sales from Divested Businesses	58	122	140
Impact of foreign currency fluctuations	(156)	0	123
Net sales	7,143	7,249	7,622
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	7,085	7,127	7,481
Segment Reporting, Sales from Divested Businesses	58	122	141
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	1,666	1,618	1,714
Amortization expense	(410)	(395)	(421)
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	120	(3,868)	904
(Loss) income before income taxes	(223)	(4,107)	642
Depreciation	279	288	296
Goodwill	5,693	5,973	9,761
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	5,950	6,289	6,473
Other assets unallocated to segments	1,014	1,040
TOTAL ASSETS	16,571	17,154
Long-Lived Assets	13,189	13,826	17,904
Segment Reporting (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments	3
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	998	1,065	1,141
Net sales
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	3,743	3,756	4,010
Japan [Member]
Net sales
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	744	931	951
IRELAND
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	240	252	231
Other countries [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	308	247	298
Net sales
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	2,598	2,440	2,520
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,055	2,179	2,444
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Net sales
Operating Income Unallocated to Segment	314	258	254
Depreciation	(4)	0	2
Special Charges [Member]
Net sales
Operating Income Unallocated to Segment	822	4,833	135
Amortization expense	410	395	421
Other expense, net	(343)	(239)	(262)
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	812	769	713
Cardiovascular [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets allocated to reportable segment	1,545	1,535
Depreciation allocated to reportable segments	111	106	116
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,867	2,948	3,157
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	710	739	829
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	1,919	1,927	2,072
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	157	147	145
Rhythm Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets allocated to reportable segment	1,343	1,350
Depreciation allocated to reportable segments	99	108	105
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,076	2,074	2,217
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	232	242	320
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	1,331	1,242	1,158
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	513	496	491
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	454	367	336
MedSurg [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets allocated to reportable segment	1,026	967
Depreciation allocated to reportable segments	73	74	73
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,298	2,105	1,985
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	724	637	565
Total allocated to reportable segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation allocated to reportable segments	283	288	294
Interventional Cardiology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	1,997	2,179	2,495
Cardiac Rhythm Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	1,886	1,908	2,087
Endoscopy [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	1,300	1,252	1,187
Peripheral Interventions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	789	774	731
Urology / Women's Health [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	505	500	498
Neuromodulation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	453	367	336
Electrophysiology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	$ 155	$ 147	$ 147