Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 27, 2018	Apr. 28, 2017	Apr. 29, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 29,953,000,000	$ 29,710,000,000	$ 28,833,000,000
Costs and expenses:
Cost of products sold	9,055,000,000	9,291,000,000	9,142,000,000
Research and development expense	2,253,000,000	2,193,000,000	2,224,000,000
Selling, general, and administrative expense	9,974,000,000	9,711,000,000	9,469,000,000
Amortization of intangible assets	1,823,000,000	1,980,000,000	1,931,000,000
Restructuring charges, net	30,000,000	363,000,000	290,000,000
Acquisition-related items	104,000,000	220,000,000	283,000,000
Certain litigation charges	61,000,000	300,000,000	26,000,000
Divestiture-related items	114,000,000	0	0
Gain on sale of businesses	(697,000,000)	0	0
Special charge	80,000,000	100,000,000	0
Other expense, net	505,000,000	222,000,000	107,000,000
Operating profit	6,651,000,000	5,330,000,000	5,361,000,000
Investment loss	227,000,000	0	70,000,000
Interest income	(397,000,000)	(366,000,000)	(431,000,000)
Interest expense	1,146,000,000	1,094,000,000	1,386,000,000
Interest expense, net	749,000,000	728,000,000	955,000,000
Income before income taxes	5,675,000,000	4,602,000,000	4,336,000,000
Income tax provision	2,580,000,000	578,000,000	798,000,000
Net income	3,095,000,000	4,024,000,000	3,538,000,000
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	9,000,000	4,000,000	0
Net income attributable to Medtronic	$ 3,104,000,000	$ 4,028,000,000	$ 3,538,000,000
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.29	$ 2.92	$ 2.51
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.27	$ 2.89	$ 2.48
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	1,356.7	1,378.9	1,409.6
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	1,368.2	1,391.4	1,425.9
Cash dividends declared per ordinary share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.84	$ 1.72	$ 1.52