Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended												3 Months Ended													2 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	2 Months Ended		3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Nov. 01, 2013	Nov. 19, 2012	Oct. 08, 2012	Oct. 04, 2012	Jun. 08, 2012	Jan. 05, 2011	Oct. 04, 2012 BridgePoint [Member]	Oct. 08, 2012 Rhythmia [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 2013 Acquisitions [Member]	Nov. 01, 2013 2013 Acquisitions [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Jun. 08, 2012 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Jan. 04, 2011 Sadra Medical, Inc. [Member]	Jan. 05, 2011 Intelect Medical, Inc., [Member]	Feb. 15, 2011 ReVascular Therapeutics, Inc. [Member]	Mar. 03, 2011 Atritech, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 2011 Acquisitions [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 2011 Acquisitions [Member]	Nov. 19, 2012 Vessix [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Customer Contracts [Member] 2013 Acquisitions [Member]	Nov. 01, 2013 Customer Contracts [Member] 2013 Acquisitions [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Customer Contracts [Member] 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Technology-related [Member] 2013 Acquisitions [Member]	Nov. 01, 2013 Technology-related [Member] 2013 Acquisitions [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Technology-related [Member] 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Purchased research and development [Member] 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Discounted cash flow [Member] revenue-based payments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Discounted cash flow [Member] revenue-based payments [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Discounted cash flow [Member] revenue-based payments [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Monte Carlo [Member] revenue-based payments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Monte Carlo [Member] revenue-based payments [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Monte Carlo [Member] revenue-based payments [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Low end of range [Member] Technology-related [Member] 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Low end of range [Member] Technology-related [Member] 2011 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Low end of range [Member] Purchased research and development [Member] 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Low end of range [Member] Purchased research and development [Member] 2011 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 High end of range [Member] Technology-related [Member] 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 High end of range [Member] Technology-related [Member] 2011 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 High end of range [Member] Purchased research and development [Member] 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 High end of range [Member] Purchased research and development [Member] 2011 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners																		14.00%	15.00%
Maximum future contingent consideration for acquisitions completed after January 1, 2009			$ 2,100,000,000
Initial cash payments for 2012 acquisitions				367,000,000
Potential payments based on acheiving certain milestones				1,615,000,000
Business Combinations Equity Ownership Before Transaction										11,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain															39,000,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Notes Payable and Long-term Debt					0												9,000,000
Accrued Contingent Consideration	(358,000,000)		(501,000,000)	(663,000,000)
Contingent consideration recognized in the period			0	(467,000,000)
Contingent consideration recognized in the period - adjustments to prior acquisitions			1,000,000	2,000,000
Contingent payment related to business combination			165,000,000	154,000,000
The components of the preliminary purchase price as of the acquisition date for acquisitions consummated in the first quarter of 2011 are as follows
Payment to acquire in cash					274,000,000	125,000,000	90,000,000	20,000,000									367,000,000	193,000,000	60,000,000	19,000,000	98,000,000		370,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration					0												(467,000,000)						(287,000,000)		(84,000,000)										(126,000,000)			(291,000,000)
Prior investments					0												79,000,000						55,000,000
Total													274,000,000	274,000,000		922,000,000	922,000,000						712,000,000
The preliminary purchase price allocation:
Goodwill													140,000,000			566,000,000						266,000,000
Amortizable intangible assets													112,000,000			189,000,000						97,000,000							30,000,000	2,000,000		82,000,000	187,000,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life	7 years 0 months 0 days																											7 years		5 years	10 years		8 years
Indefinite-lived intangible assets													0			132,000,000						470,000,000												132,000,000
Deferred income taxes													3,000,000			20,000,000						(121,000,000)
Total																						712,000,000
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payment to acquire in cash					274,000,000	125,000,000	90,000,000	20,000,000									367,000,000	193,000,000	60,000,000	19,000,000	98,000,000		370,000,000
Percentage of equity acquired											100.00%	100.00%						86.00%	85.00%	100.00%	100.00%			100.00%
Future acquisition related consideration contingent upon the achievement of certain revenue-based milestones						300,000,000	175,000,000	90,000,000												16,000,000	275,000,000
Note receivable from acquired company prior to acquisition										6,000,000							40,000,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value										55,000,000
Risk-adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration																										0.80%	1.00%									12.00%	15.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Gains on previously held equity interests		38,000,000
Business combination, liabilities arising from contingencies, amount recognized		467,000,000
Estimated fair value of prior equity ownership interest in Sadra and Intelect					0												79,000,000						55,000,000
Business Acquisition, Purchse Price Allocation, Net Intangible Assets																						567,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Liability			(4,000,000)	6,000,000
Initial cash payment for Cameron acquisition									150,000,000
Potential payment due upon FDA approval of S-ICD system				150,000,000
Maximum potential payment due upon achievement of certain milestones, per Cameron agreement				1,050,000,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Other Noncurrent Assets													19,000,000			15,000,000
Range Of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates Used In Purchase Price Allocation																												11.50%		14.00%	11.50%										14.00%	23.00%	14.00%	23.00%	28.00%	25.00%	28.00%	30.00%
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangibles														$ 112,000,000	$ 321,000,000
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment																									85.00%											0.00%	100.00%
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment																									2014											2014	2017		2014	2018
Revenue Volatility - Contingent Consideration																																							13.00%	26.00%