Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) reportablesegments	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	$ 2,201	$ 1,998
Impact Of Foreign Currency Fluctuations On Net Sales	(41)	(34)
Net sales	2,160	1,964
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	584	535
Amortization expense	(143)	(136)
Operating income (loss)	364	293
Other expense, net	(59)	(65)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$ 305	228
Segment Reporting (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments \| reportablesegments	3
Cardiovascular [Member]
Net sales
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	$ 245	254
Rhythm Management [Member]
Net sales
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	101	67
MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	238	214
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Net sales
Operating (Loss) Income Unallocated to Segment	(88)	(41)
Special Charges [Member]
Net sales
Operating (Loss) Income Unallocated to Segment	11	(65)
Operating Segments [Member] \| Cardiovascular [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	871	808
Operating Segments [Member] \| Rhythm Management [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	536	499
Operating Segments [Member] \| MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	794	691
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] \| Cardiovascular [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	605	560
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] \| Cardiovascular [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	266	248
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] \| Rhythm Management [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	471	439
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] \| Rhythm Management [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	65	60
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] \| MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	387	339
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member] \| MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	265	230
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] \| MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	$ 142	$ 122

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