Acquisitions (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended		2 Months Ended
	Nov. 01, 2013	Dec. 04, 2012	Nov. 19, 2012	Oct. 08, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 02, 2014	May 07, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Oct. 04, 2012	Jun. 08, 2012
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other Cost and Expense, Operating					$ (85)	$ 4	$ (6)
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired					486	274	366
Maximum future contingent consideration for acquisitions completed after January 1, 2009					1,908
Initial cash payments for 2012 acquisitions							367
Potential payments based on acheiving certain milestones							1,615
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Notes Payable and Long-term Debt	0
Accrued Contingent Consideration					274	501	663			501
Fair value of contingent consideration recorded in purchase accounting					3	0	467
Contingent consideration recognized in the period						0
Adjustments to accrued contingent consideration					(8)	(1)
Contingent payment related to business combination					(137)	(165)
Payment to acquire in cash		20	125	90
Fair value of contingent consideration	0
Prior investments	0
Goodwill					5,898	5,693	5,973			5,693
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles					263
Total					510
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payment to acquire in cash		20	125	90
Future acquisition related consideration contingent upon the achievement of certain revenue-based milestones			300	175							90
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value					31
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business combination, liabilities arising from contingencies, amount recognized							467
Estimated fair value of prior equity ownership interest in Sadra and Intelect	0
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Liability					(85)	4
Initial cash payment for Cameron acquisition												150
Potential payment due upon FDA approval of S-ICD system							150
Maximum potential payment due upon achievement of certain milestones, per Cameron agreement							1,050
Payment of contingent consideration					137	165	154
Bayer and IoGyn [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired					479
Goodwill					210
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles					263
Total					510
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Inventory					23
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment					17
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets					5
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net					(1)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets, Current					(7)
Bayer [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired								414
IoGyn [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired									65
Remaining equity of IoGyn purchased									72.00%
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain					19
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Minority interest owned of IoGyn									28.00%
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Liabilities Incurred									8
2014 acquisitions (excluding Bayer and IoGyn) [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired					7
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Asset					4
Bard EP [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payment to acquire in cash	274
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payment to acquire in cash	274
BridgePoint [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Percentage of equity acquired											100.00%
Rhythmia [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Percentage of equity acquired				100.00%
2013 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill						140				140
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles	112					112				112
Indefinite-lived intangible assets						0				0
Total	274					274
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Other Noncurrent Assets						19				19
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets, Current						3				3
2012 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain							39
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Notes Payable and Long-term Debt							9
Payment to acquire in cash							367
Fair value of contingent consideration							(467)
Prior investments							79
Goodwill							566
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles							189
Indefinite-lived intangible assets							132
Total							922
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payment to acquire in cash							367
Note receivable from acquired company prior to acquisition												40
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Estimated fair value of prior equity ownership interest in Sadra and Intelect							79
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Other Noncurrent Assets							15
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net							321
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets, Current							20
Vessix [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Percentage of equity acquired			100.00%
R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Risk-adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration					1.10%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment					2015
R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment					84.00%
R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment					95.00%
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired					233
Customer Contracts [Member] | 2013 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired						30
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										7 years
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Range Of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates Used In Purchase Price Allocation										11.50%
Customer Contracts [Member] | 2012 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired							2
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life							5 years
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Range Of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates Used In Purchase Price Allocation							14.00%
Technology-related [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life					10 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation					14.00%
Technology-related [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life					14 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation					18.00%
Technology-related [Member] | 2013 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired						82
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life										10 years
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Range Of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates Used In Purchase Price Allocation										11.50%
Technology-related [Member] | 2012 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired							187
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life							8 years
Technology-related [Member] | 2012 Acquisitions [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Range Of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates Used In Purchase Price Allocation							14.00%
Technology-related [Member] | 2012 Acquisitions [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Range Of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates Used In Purchase Price Allocation							28.00%
Customer Relationships [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired					29
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life					10 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation					18.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired					1
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life					2 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation					14.00%
Purchased research and development [Member] | 2012 Acquisitions [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
In-Process Research and Development Acquired							$ 132
Purchased research and development [Member] | 2012 Acquisitions [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Range Of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates Used In Purchase Price Allocation							14.00%
Purchased research and development [Member] | 2012 Acquisitions [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Range Of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates Used In Purchase Price Allocation							28.00%
Discounted cash flow [Member] | R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment					2015
Discounted cash flow [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Risk-adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration					11.50%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment					0.00%
Discounted cash flow [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Risk-adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration					15.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment					100.00%
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment					2018
Monte Carlo [Member] | R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment					2015
Monte Carlo [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Revenue Volatility - Contingent Consideration					11.00%
Monte Carlo [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment					2018
Revenue Volatility - Contingent Consideration					13.00%