Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012 reportingunits	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 reportingunits	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Goodwill [Line Items]
In process research and development associated with Sadra	$ 184,000,000			$ 184,000,000
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(8,729,000,000)			(8,729,000,000)		(5,127,000,000)
Goodwill	6,474,000,000			6,474,000,000		9,761,000,000
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments				0
Goodwill, Acquired During Period				315,000,000
Amortization of Intangible Assets	(3,632,000,000)			(3,632,000,000)		(3,441,000,000)
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	15,864,000,000			15,864,000,000		15,632,000,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, accumulated write-offs	(8,729,000,000)			(8,729,000,000)		(5,127,000,000)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	9,220,000,000			9,220,000,000		9,170,000,000
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charge	(3,602,000,000)		(697,000,000)	(3,602,000,000)	(697,000,000)
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	6,249,000,000			6,249,000,000		6,473,000,000
Estimated fair value of goodwill balance as determined by first step of the goodwill impairment test			782,000,000
Number of reporting units with material goodwill at higher risk of failure of step one of impairment test	3			3
Goodwill, Impairment Loss, Net of Subsequent Adjustment	3,579,000,000
Carrying value of goodwill prior to impairment							1,479,000,000
Level of excess fair value over carrying value for reporting units, except U.S. CRM reporting unit, minimum	16.00%			16.00%
Level of excess fair value over carrying value for reporting units, except U.S. CRM reporting unit, maximum	35.00%			35.00%
Other intangible asset charges	(129,000,000)	(12,000,000)		(129,000,000)	(12,000,000)
Goodwill and intangible asset impairment losses in period				3,731,000,000	709,000,000
Discount rate used for measurement of fair value of Sadra IPR&D asset	20.00%
U.S. CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Allocated Goodwill	965,000,000			965,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net	3,400,000,000			3,400,000,000
U.S. Cardiovascular reporting unit [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Allocated Goodwill	2,400,000,000			2,400,000,000
U.S. Neuromodulation reporting unit [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Allocated Goodwill	1,300,000,000			1,300,000,000
Unclassified Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(8,729,000,000)			(8,729,000,000)		(5,127,000,000)
Goodwill, Gross	15,203,000,000			15,203,000,000		14,888,000,000
Technology Core [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	242,000,000			242,000,000		242,000,000
Purchased research and development [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	419,000,000			419,000,000		502,000,000
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Amortization of Intangible Assets	(402,000,000)			(402,000,000)		(376,000,000)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	812,000,000			812,000,000		808,000,000
Patents [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Amortization of Intangible Assets	(342,000,000)			(342,000,000)		(331,000,000)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	546,000,000			546,000,000		539,000,000
Technology Core [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Amortization of Intangible Assets	(1,872,000,000)			(1,872,000,000)		(1,722,000,000)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	6,786,000,000			6,786,000,000		6,786,000,000
Technology Developed [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Amortization of Intangible Assets	(1,016,000,000)			(1,016,000,000)		(1,012,000,000)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	1,076,000,000			1,076,000,000		1,037,000,000
United States [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(5,127,000,000)			(5,127,000,000)		(5,127,000,000)
Goodwill	4,851,000,000			4,851,000,000		4,667,000,000
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments
Goodwill, Acquired During Period				184,000,000
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charge
Segment, Geographical, Groups of Countries, Group One [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(3,602,000,000)			(3,602,000,000)
Goodwill	498,000,000			498,000,000		4,004,000,000
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments				(1,000,000)
Goodwill, Acquired During Period				97,000,000
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charge				(3,602,000,000)
Allocated Goodwill	498,000,000			498,000,000
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	1,500,000,000			1,500,000,000
Japan [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	559,000,000			559,000,000		554,000,000
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments				(2,000,000)
Goodwill, Acquired During Period				7,000,000
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charge
Segment, Geographical, Groups of Countries, Group Two [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	566,000,000			566,000,000		536,000,000
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments				3,000,000
Goodwill, Acquired During Period				27,000,000
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charge