FIRST AMENDMENT
                                TO LOAN AGREEMENT

     This  First  Amendment  to Loan  Agreement  (the  "Amendment")  is made and
entered  into  among  Merit  Medical  Systems,  Inc.  ("Merit  Medical"),  Merit
Holdings, Inc. ("Merit Holdings"), Sentir Semiconductor,  Inc. ("Sentir") (Merit
Medical,  Merit Holdings and Sentir are  collectively  called  "Borrowers")  and
Zions First National Bank ("Lender").

                                    Recitals
                                    --------

         1.       Borrowers  and Lender have  entered in an Amended and Restated
Loan Agreement dated August 11, 1999 (the "Agreement").

         2.       Borrowers  and Lender desire to modify and amend the Agreement
as provided herein.

                                    Amendment
                                    ---------

         For good and valuable  consideration,  the receipt and  sufficiency  of
which are hereby  acknowledged,  Borrowers and Lender hereby agree and amend and
modify the Agreement as follows:

         1.       Definitions.  Except as otherwise  expressly  provided herein,
terms  assigned  defined  meanings in the Agreement  shall have the same defined
meanings in this Amendment.

         2.       Amended  Definitions.  The definitions of "Borrowing  Base"and
"Facility  Amount" in Section 1.1 of the Agreement are amended in their entirety
to read as follows:

                  "Borrowing  Base"  means  the sum of (a)  75% of the net  book
         value, as determined by Lender, of all accounts receivable of Borrowers
         in  which  Lender  has  a  first  priority,  fully  perfected  security
         interest,  (b) 45% of the net book value,  as determined by Lender,  of
         all inventory of Borrowers in which Lender has a first priority,  fully
         perfected  security  interest to the extent that (x) the net book value
         of inventory of  Borrowers as of the fiscal month most  recently  ended
         divided by (y)(a)(i) the cost of goods sold of Borrowers for the fiscal
         quarter most recently ended (and in the case of any  acquisition by any
         Borrower,  the cost of goods sold for such  acquired  property for such
         fiscal  quarter  as  reasonably  determined  by Lender)  multiplied  by
         (ii)four (4) divided by (b) 365, does not exceed 175,  provided that if
         such  calculation  exceeds 175,  such  inventory  is excluded  from the
         Borrowing  Base  to the  extent  and  only  to  the  extent  that  such
         calculation exceeds 175, (c) 70% of the appraised value,  acceptable to
         Lender,  of all real  property of Borrowers in which Lender has a first
         priority,  fully  perfected  lien,  (d)  70%  of the  appraised  value,
         acceptable to Lender, of all equipment of Borrowers in which Lender has
         a first priority, fully perfected security interest, and (e) (i) 65% of
         the net book  value,  as  determined  by Lender,  of all  equipment  of
         Borrowers for which there is not an appraisal  acceptable to Lender and
         in which Lender has a fully perfected  security interest minus (ii) the

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         outstanding  principal amount owing by Borrowers in respect of all such
         equipment  which is  subject  to a security  interest  superior  to the
         security interest of Lender in such equipment.

                  "Facility   Amount"   means   thirty-five    million   dollars
         ($35,000,000.00)   as  such   amount  is  reduced   by  three   hundred
         seventy-five  thousand  dollars  ($375,000.00)  on the last day of each
         quarter commencing with the quarter ending March 31, 2001.

         3.       Section 3.1 Section  3.1 of the Loan  Agreement  is amended by
adding a new subsection c. to read as follows:

                  c. A deed of trust upon real property of Merit Medical located
in Brazoria County, Texas.

         4.       Section 6.6 a. Section 6.6 a. of the Loan Agreement is amended
in its entirety to read as follows:

                  a. Annual  audited  financial  statements  with an unqualified
         opinion  for each  fiscal  year of each  Borrower  from an  independent
         accounting firm and in a form acceptable to Lender,  to be delivered to
         Lender within ninety-five (95) days of the end of the fiscal year. Each
         Borrower shall also submit to Lender copies of any  management  letters
         or other reports  submitted to such Borrower by  independent  certified
         public  accountants  in connection  with  examination  of the financial
         statements of such Borrower made by such accountants.

         5. Conditions to Effectiveness  of Amendment.  The amendments set forth
above shall become  effective,  as of the date and year set forth below, on such
date (the "First Amendment Effective Date") when the following  conditions shall
have been satisfied in a form and substance acceptable to Lender:

                  a. This Amendment, the Replacement Promissory Note in the form
         of Exhibit A hereto (the "Replacement  Promissory Note"), and all other
         documents  contemplated  by this  Amendment  to be  delivered to Lender
         prior to funding have been fully executed and delivered to Lender.

                  b. All of the documents  contemplated  by this Amendment which
         require  filing or recording  have been properly  filed and recorded so
         that all of the  liens  and  security  interests  granted  to Lender in
         connection  with this Amendment will be properly  created and perfected
         and will have a priority acceptable to Lender.

                  c. All other conditions  precedent provided in or contemplated
         by the Agreement,  the Security  Documents,  or any other  agreement or
         document have been performed.

                  d. As of the First  Amendment  Effective  Date,  the following
         shall be true and correct:  (1) all representations and warranties made
         by  Borrowers  in the  Agreement  are true and  correct as of the First


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         Amendment  Effective  Date;  and (2) no Event of Default  has  occurred
         under the Agreement and no conditions  exist and no event has occurred,
         which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would
         constitute an Event of Default under the Agreement.

         All  conditions  precedent  set forth in the  Agreement,  the  Security
Documents, or in any other document relating thereto are for the sole benefit of
Lender and may be waived unilaterally by Lender.

         6.  Collateral.  The  Loan  and the  Replacement  Promissory  Note  are
secured by the  collateral  identified  in, and  contemplated  by the Agreement,
including, without limitation, the various Security Agreements, dated August 11,
1999, executed by the Borrowers,  and by the Collateral described in Section 3.1
Collateral of the Agreement.

         7.  Representations  and  Warranties.  Each Borrower hereby affirms and
again  makes  the   representations  and  warranties  set  forth  in  Article  5
Representations  and Warranties as of the First  Amendment  Effective Date. Each
Borrower  represents  and  warrants  that  there  have  been no  changes  to the
Organizational Documents of such Borrower since August 11, 1999.

         8. Authorization.  Borrower represents and warrants that the execution,
delivery,  and  performance  by Borrowers  of this  Amendment,  the  Replacement
Promissory Note, and all agreements,  documents,  obligations,  and transactions
herein  contemplated  have been duly  authorized by all necessary  action on the
part  of  such  Borrower  and  are  not   inconsistent   with  such   Borrower's
Organizational  Documents  or any  resolution  of the Board of Directors of such
Borrower,  do not and will not  contravene  any  provision  of, or  constitute a
default under, any indenture,  mortgage,  contract, or other instrument to which
such  Borrower is a party or by which it is bound,  and that upon  execution and
delivery hereof and thereof, this Amendment and the Replacement  Promissory Note
will constitute  legal,  valid,  and binding  agreements and obligations of each
Borrower, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms.

         9. Payment of Expenses and  Attorney's  Fees.  Borrowers  shall pay all
reasonable  expenses  of  Lender  relating  to  the  negotiation,   drafting  of
documents, and documentation of this Amendment,  including,  without limitation,
title insurance, recording fees, filing fees, and reasonable attorney's fees and
legal expenses. If such expenses are not promptly paid, Lender is authorized and
directed,  upon  execution of this  Amendment and  fulfillment of all conditions
precedent hereunder, to disburse a sufficient amount of the Loan proceeds to pay
in full these expenses.

         10. Agreement  Remains in Full Force and  Effect.  Except as  expressly
amended or modified by this Amendment,  the Agreement  remains in full force and
effect.

         11. Counterpart  Execution.  This  Amendment may be executed in several
counterparts,  without the requirement  that all parties sign each  counterpart.
Each of such counterparts  shall be an original,  but all counterparts  together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.

         12. Integrated Agreement;  Amendment. This Amendment, together with the
Agreement,  Replacement  Promissory  Note,  Security  Documents,  and the  other
agreements,   documents,  obligations,  and  transactions  contemplated  by  the
Agreement and the Amendment, constitute the entire agreements and understandings


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between the parties and supersede all other prior and contemporaneous agreements
and may not be  altered or amended  except by  written  agreement  signed by the
parties. This Amendment and the Agreement shall be read and interpreted together
as one  agreement.  PURSUANT TO UTAH CODE SECTION  25-5-4,  BORROWER IS NOTIFIED
THAT THESE AGREEMENTS ARE A FINAL EXPRESSION OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN LENDER AND
BORROWERS  AND THESE  AGREEMENTS  MAY NOT BE  CONTRADICTED  BY  EVIDENCE  OF ANY
ALLEGED  ORAL  AGREEMENT.  All  other  prior  and  contemporaneous   agreements,
arrangements  and  understandings  between the parties  hereto as to the subject
matter hereof are, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, rescinded.

         Dated: March 14, 2000


                                            Lender:

                                            Zions First National Bank

                                            By:
                                               ---------------------------
                                            Title:
                                                  ------------------------



                                            Borrowers:

                                            Merit Medical Systems, Inc.


                                            By:
                                               ---------------------------

                                            Title:
                                                  ------------------------


                                            Merit Holdings, Inc.


                                            By:
                                               ---------------------------

                                            Title:


                                            Sentir Semiconductor, Inc.


                                            By:
                                               ---------------------------

                                            Title:
                                                  ------------------------

                                                     EXHIBIT A


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