Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Pension termination charges	$ 44	$ 0	$ 0
Number of Reportable Segments | reportablesegments	3
Number of global reporting units | reportablesegments	7	7	7
International Retirement Plan - Discount Rate - Low	1.00%
International Retirement Plan - Expected Return on Plan Assets - Low	3.00%
International Retirement Plan - Discount Rate - High	2.20%
Executive Retirement Plan Discount Rate	3.75%
Rabbi Trust Assets	$ 11	$ 14
Expense related to matching contributions	69	63	$ 59
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	131	285
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	52	191	166
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	1	26
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer	6	16
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(145)	(11)
Defined Benefit Plan, Transfers Between Measurement Levels	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Changes, Benefit Obligation	(1)	(6)
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	79	94
Shipping, Handling and Transportation Costs	93	100	97
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax	$ (21)	$ (18)	(11)
Percent of finished goods at consignment	40.00%	40.00%
Product Warranty Accrual	$ 23	$ 25	28	$ 26
Product Warranty Expense	15	9	12
Product Warranty Accrual, Payments	(17)	(12)	(10)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Deductions		(15)	(12)
Depreciation	274	$ 287	$ 279
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Undistributed Foreign Earnings	$ 8,900
Executive Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	3.00%
Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan Discount Rate	4.25%
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	$ 14	$ 13
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	14	13
Guidant retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	0	148
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	140
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	0	8
Guidant supplement retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	33	34
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	33	34
International retirement plans [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	84	90
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	52	51
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	$ 32	$ 39
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%