Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 reportablesegments	Sep. 30, 2013
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	$ 1,860	$ 1,740	$ 5,507	$ 5,238
Segment Reporting, Sales from Divested Businesses	1	2	4	57
Impact of foreign currency fluctuations	(15)	(7)	(18)	10
Net sales	1,846	1,735	5,493	5,305
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	469	414	1,309	1,178
Amortization expense	(109)	(101)	(327)	(305)
Operating (loss) income allocated to reportable segments	64	103	191	(6)
Other expense, net	(61)	(143)	(146)	(276)
Income (loss) before income taxes	3	(40)	45	(282)
Segment Reporting (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments			3
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	514	474	1,543	1,493
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	217	200	631	597
Cardiovascular [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	731	674	2,174	2,090
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	201	175	565	515
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	482	465	1,441	1,416
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	54	35	167	105
Rhythm Management [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	536	500	1,608	1,521
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	76	63	209	176
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	340	319	990	939
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	138	131	397	372
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	115	116	338	316
MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	593	566	1,725	1,627
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	192	176	535	487
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Net sales
Operating (Loss) Income Unallocated to Segment	(90)	(78)	(205)	(168)
Special Charges [Member]
Net sales
Operating (Loss) Income Unallocated to Segment	$ (206)	$ (132)	$ (586)	$ (711)