Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 reportablesegments	Jun. 30, 2013
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	$ 1,869	$ 1,792	$ 3,647	$ 3,498
Segment Reporting, Sales from Divested Businesses	1	19	3	55
Impact of foreign currency fluctuations	3	(2)	(3)	17
Net sales	1,873	1,809	3,647	3,570
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	435	409	840	764
Amortization expense	(109)	(101)	(218)	(204)
Operating (loss) income allocated to reportable segments	(69)	220	128	(109)
Other expense, net	(35)	(68)	(86)	(133)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(104)	152	42	(242)
Segment Reporting (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments			3
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	528	521	1,029	1,019
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	210	204	414	397
Cardiovascular [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	738	725	1,443	1,416
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	193	182	364	340
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	495	476	959	951
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	55	36	113	70
Rhythm Management [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	550	512	1,072	1,021
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	67	56	133	113
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	334	320	650	620
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	133	124	259	241
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	114	111	223	200
MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	581	555	1,132	1,061
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	175	171	343	311
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Net sales
Operating (Loss) Income Unallocated to Segment	(64)	(48)	(115)	(89)
Special Charges [Member]
Net sales
Operating (Loss) Income Unallocated to Segment	$ (331)	$ (40)	$ (379)	$ (580)