Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2013 reportablesegments reportingunits	Dec. 31, 2012 reportingunits reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments	3
Number of global reporting units	7	7
International Retirement Plan - Discount Rate - Low	1.00%
International Retirement Plan - Expected Return on Plan Assets - Low	2.75%
International Retirement Plan - Discount Rate - High	2.20%
Executive Retirement Plan Discount Rate	3.50%
Rabbi Trust Assets	$ 14,000,000	$ 17,000,000
Expense related to matching contributions	63,000,000	59,000,000	63,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	285,000,000	248,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	191,000,000	166,000,000	130,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	26,000,000	25,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer	16,000,000	32,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(11,000,000)	(15,000,000)
Defined Benefit Plan, Transfers Between Measurement Levels	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Changes, Benefit Obligation	(6,000,000)	(6,000,000)
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	94,000,000	82,000,000
Shipping, Handling and Transportation Costs	100,000,000	97,000,000	105,000,000
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax	(18,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(18,000,000)
Equity Method Investments	10,000,000	18,000,000
Number of U.S. reporting units			6
Percent of finished goods at consignment	40.00%	40.00%
Product Warranty Accrual	25,000,000	28,000,000	26,000,000	30,000,000
Product Warranty Expense	9,000,000	12,000,000	8,000,000
Product Warranty Accrual, Payments	(12,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(12,000,000)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Deductions	(15,000,000)	(12,000,000)	(7,000,000)
Depreciation	287,000,000	279,000,000	288,000,000
Accounts receivable 180 days past due	26,000,000
Accounts receivable 365 days past due	11,000,000
Number of international reporting units			4
Cost Method Investments	27,000,000	20,000,000
Notes receivable from portfolio companies	17,000,000	13,000,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Undistributed Foreign Earnings	7,700,000,000
Executive Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	3.00%
Guidant Retirement Plan Discount Rate	4.00%
Guidant Retirement Plan Expected Return in Plan Assets	5.50%
Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan Discount Rate	4.00%
International Retirement Plan - Expected Return on Plan Assets - High	4.10%
Concentration Risk, Customer	0	0	0
Executive retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	13,000,000	10,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	13,000,000	10,000,000
Guidant retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	148,000,000	120,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	140,000,000	114,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	8,000,000	6,000,000
Guidant supplement retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	34,000,000	31,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	34,000,000	31,000,000
Guidant healthcare retirement benefit plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	0	3,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	0	3,000,000
International retirement plans [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	90,000,000	84,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	51,000,000	52,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	$ 39,000,000	$ 32,000,000
Low end of range [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
International Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	3.00%
Minimum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	20 years
Minimum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	3 years
Minimum [Member] | Patents [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	2 years
Minimum [Member] | Technology-related [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	5 years
Minimum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	5 years
Maximum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	40 years
Maximum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	10 years
Maximum [Member] | Patents [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	20 years
Maximum [Member] | Technology-related [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	25 years
Maximum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	25 years
High end of range [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
International Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	6.78%