INVACARE CORP
10-Q, 1997-05-15
ORTHOPEDIC, PROSTHETIC & SURGICAL APPLIANCES & SUPPLIES
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<PAGE>
                                       1

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM 10-Q
                   QUARTERLY REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15 (d)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                      For the Quarter Ended March 31, 1997
                      ------------------------------------

                         Commission File Number 0-12938
                         ------------------------------

                              Invacare Corporation
                              --------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             Ohio                                         95-2680965
- - ------------------------------                 -------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of                (IRS Employer Identification No)
incorporation or organization)

             899 Cleveland Street, P.O. Box 4028, Elyria, Ohio 44036
             -------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (216) 329-6000
                              ---------------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                       N/A
                                   ------------
 (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if change since last 
 report)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed  by  Section  12 or 15 (d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter  period that the  registrant
was  required  to file such  reports),  and (2) has been  subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No____

Indicate the number of shares  outstanding  of each of the  issuer's  classes of
common stock, as of the latest practical date:

     As of May 13, 1997 the Company had  28,090,522  Common Shares and 1,441,467
Class B Common Shares outstanding.


<PAGE>
                                       2

                              INVACARE CORPORATION

                                      INDEX


Part I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION:                                       Page No.

Item 1. Financial Statements (Unaudited)

         Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet -

                  March 31, 1997 and December 31, 1996........................3

         Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings -

                  Three Months Ended March 31, 1997 and 1996..................4

         Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows -

                  Three Months Ended March 31, 1997 and 1996..................5

         Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial

                  Statements - March 31, 1997.................................6

Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of

                  Financial Condition and Results of Operations...............7

Part II.  OTHER INFORMATION:

Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K....................................11

SIGNATURES...................................................................11

<PAGE>
                                       3

Part I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1...         Financial Statements
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                       INVACARE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet - (unaudited)

                                                                                       March 31,           December 31,
                                                                                            1997                   1996
ASSETS                                                                                              (In thousands)
- - ------
<S>                                                                                    <C>                    <C>                   
CURRENT ASSETS
 .........Cash and cash equivalents                                                     $   6,040              $   4,431
 .........Marketable securities                                                             2,474                  3,569
 .........Trade receivables, net                                                          102,128                105,432
 .........Installment receivables, net                                                     52,970                 51,995
 .........Inventories                                                                      74,557                 78,934
 .........Deferred income taxes                                                             6,784                  7,181
 .........Other current assets                                                              7,257                  7,178
                                                                                         -------                -------
                                                                                         252,210                258,720

OTHER ASSETS                                                                              54,188                 49,459
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET                                                               78,124                 77,830
GOODWILL, NET                                                                            118,057                123,619
                                                                                       ---------               --------
 .........         TOTAL ASSETS                                                          $502,579               $509,628
                                                                                       =========               ========

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
 .........Accounts payable                                                              $  41,476              $  40,723
 .........Accrued expenses                                                                 41,729                 50,900
 .........Accrued income taxes                                                              3,610                  1,563
 .........Current maturities of long-term obligations                                       4,837                  4,582
                                                                                       ---------              ---------
 .........         TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES                                               91,652                 97,768

LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS                                                                    167,133                173,263

DEFERRED INCOME TAXES                                                                        360                      0

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 .........Preferred shares                                                                      0                      0
 .........Common shares                                                                     7,125                  7,103
 .........Class B common shares                                                               360                    360
 .........Additional paid-in-capital                                                       72,185                 71,143
 .........Retained earnings                                                               174,414                167,561
 .........Adjustment to shareholders' equity                                               (3,427)                  (833)
 .........Treasury shares                                                                  (7,223)                (6,737)
                                                                                        --------               --------
 .........         TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY                                             243,434                238,597
                                                                                        --------               --------

 .........         TOTAL LIABILITIES
 .........            AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY                                           $502,579               $509,628
                                                                                        ========               ========
</TABLE>

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE>
                                       4
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                       INVACARE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                            Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings - (unaudited)

                                                                                               Three Months Ended
                                                                                                     March 31,
                                                                                            1997                   1996
                                                                                            ----                   ----
<S>                                                                                     <C>                    <C>                  
Net sales                                                                               $151,524               $134,461

Cost of products sold                                                                    107,306                 92,834
                                                                                       ---------              ---------

 .........GROSS PROFIT                                                                     44,218                 41,627

Selling, general and administrative expenses                                              31,693                 31,398
                                                                                       ---------               --------


 .........INCOME FROM OPERATIONS                                                           12,525                 10,229

Net interest expense                                                                        (695)                  (292)
                                                                                       ---------               --------

 .........
         EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES                                                     11,830                  9,937

Income taxes                                                                               4,610                  3,875
                                                                                       ---------               --------

 .........NET EARNINGS                                                                      7,220                  6,062
                                                                                      ==========             ==========

            DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE                                       $    .0125             $    .0125
                                                                                      ==========             ==========

 .........NET EARNINGS PER SHARE                                                       $      .24             $      .20
                                                                                      ==========             ==========


Weighted average shares outstanding                                                       30,412                 30,376
                                                                                      ==========             ==========
</TABLE>

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE>
                                       5

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       INVACARE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                           Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows - (unaudited)

                                                                                                  Three Months Ended
                                                                                                             March 31,
                                                                                                       1997         1996
 OPERATING ACTIVITIES
                                                                                                        (In  thousands)
 <S>                                                                                                 <C>            <C>
 .........Net earnings                                                                               $7,220         $6,062
 .........Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to
 .........   net cash required by operating activities:
 .........     Depreciation and amortization                                                          4,855          4,375
 .........     Provision for losses on receivables                                                      551             82
 .........     Provision for deferred income taxes                                                     (255)          (154)
 .........     Provision for other deferred liabilities                                               1,190            516
 .........Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
 .........     Trade receivables                                                                      1,358          7,896
 .........     Inventories                                                                            2,520         (7,991)
 .........     Other current assets                                                                    (241)        (1,168)
 .........     Accounts payable                                                                       1,897          7,716
 .........     Accrued expenses                                                                      (6,816)        (7,570)
                                                                                                  ---------       --------
 .........         NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES                                         12,279          9,764

 INVESTING ACTIVITIES
 .........Purchases of property and equipment                                                        (5,875)        (3,763)
 .........Proceeds from sale of property and equipment                                                   66              7
 .........Installment sales contracts written                                                       (16,956)       (15,939)
 .........Payments received on installment sales contracts                                           17,284          9,422
 .........Marketable securities purchased                                                            (1,789)          (262)
 .........Marketable securities sold                                                                  2,875              0
 .........Increase in other investments                                                                (328)        (2,082)
             Increase in other long-term assets                                                      (2,315)          (679)
             Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired                                                  0        (17,211)
 .........Other                                                                                      (1,114)           498
                                                                                                  ---------      ---------
 .........     NET CASH REQUIRED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES                                             (8,152)       (30,009)

 FINANCING ACTIVITIES
 .........Proceeds from revolving lines of credit and long-term borrowings                            9,581         51,764
          Principal payments on revolving lines of credit, long-term
               debt and capital lease obligations                                                   (12,562)       (29,498)
             Proceeds from exercise of stock options                                                    941            933
          Dividends paid                                                                               (367)          (366)
          (Purchase) proceeds from treasury stock                                                         0         (2,250)
                                                                                                 ----------      ---------
                 NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES
                                                                                                     (2,407)        20,583
 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash                                                            (111)             (187)
                                                                                                 -----------     ---------
 Increase(Decrease) in cash and cash equivalents                                                      1,609            151
 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period                                                    4,431           4,132
                                                                                                 -----------      --------
 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period                                                        $ 6,040          $4,283
                                                                                                 ===========      ========
</TABLE>

 See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE>
                                       6


                      INVACARE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                         Notes to Condensed Consolidated
                              Financial Statements
                                   (Unaudited)


Nature  of  Operations  --  Invacare   Corporation  and  its  subsidiaries  (the
"company") is the leading home medical equipment manufacturer in the world based
on its  distribution  channels,  the breadth of its product line and sales.  The
company  designs,  manufactures  and  distributes  an extensive  line of medical
equipment  for the home health  care,  retail and  extended  care  markets.  The
company's   products   include  standard  manual   wheelchairs,   motorized  and
lightweight  prescription  wheelchairs,  motorized scooters,  patient aids, home
care and institutional beds, low air loss therapy, home respiratory,  ambulatory
infusion pumps and seating and positioning products.

Principles of Consolidation  -- In the opinion of the company,  the accompanying
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance
with generally accepted  accounting  principles which require management to make
estimates  and  assumptions  that affect the amounts  reported in the  financial
statements.  Actual results may differ from these  estimates.  The  accompanying
financial  statements include all adjustments,  which were of a normal recurring
nature,  necessary to present fairly the financial position of the company as of
March 31, 1997 and December 31, 1996,  and the results of its operations for the
three months ended March 31, 1997 and 1996 and changes in its cash flows for the
three months ended March 31, 1997 and 1996.  The results of  operations  for the
three months ended March 31, 1997, are not necessarily indicative of the results
to be expected for the full year.

Certain  information  and footnote  disclosures  normally  included in financial
statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting  principles
have been  condensed  or omitted  pursuant to the rules and  regulations  of the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission.  These  condensed  consolidated  financial
statements  should  be read  in  conjunction  with  the  consolidated  financial
statements contained in the Company's annual financial statements and notes.

Statement of Cash Flows -- The Company made payments (in thousands) of :
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                        Three Months Ended
                                                                             March 31,
                                                                        1997              1996
                                                                      -------------------------
                  <S>                                                 <C>                <C>
                  Interest                                            $3,337             $2,267
                  Income Taxes                                        $2,306             $2,968
</TABLE>



Inventories -- Inventories consist of the following components (in thousands):
<TABLE>

                                                                        March 31,            December 31,
                                                                            1997                    1996
                                                                       ---------------------------------
                  <S>                                                  <C>                      <C>
                  Raw materials                                        $  24,290                $ 25,137
                  Work in process                                         11,265                  12,022
                  Finished goods                                          39,002                  41,775
                                                                       ---------------------------------
                                                                       $  74,557                $ 78,934
                                                                       =================================
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
                                       7

The inventory determination under the LIFO method can only be made at the end of
each  fiscal  year  based  on the  inventory  levels  and  cost at  that  point,
therefore,  interim LIFO  determinations are based on management's  estimates of
expected year-end inventory levels and costs.

Property and  Equipment -- Property and  equipment  consist of the following (in
thousands):
<TABLE>


                                                                    March 31,         December 31,
                                                                         1997                 1996
                                                                    ------------------------------
 <S>                                                                <C>                  <C>
 Land, buildings and improvements                                   $  34,585            $  35,779
 Machinery and equipment                                              107,917              104,297
 Furniture and fixtures                                                10,901               10,693
 Leasehold improvements                                                 7,371                7,330
                                                                    ------------------------------
   Subtotal                                                           160,774              158,099
       Less allowance for depreciation                                (82,650)             (80,269)
                                                                    ------------------------------
                                                                    $  78,124            $  77,830
                                                                    ==============================
</TABLE>


     Item 2.  Management's  Discussion  and Analysis of Financial  Condition and
Results of Operations

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

NET SALES

Net sales for the quarter ended March 31, 1997  increased by 12.7% over the same
period a year ago with  acquisitions  accounting  for 7.2% of the increase and a
negative  impact from currency  translation  of 1.0%.  Power,  personal care and
manual wheelchairs  posted the largest increases  principally due to higher unit
volumes.  The  volume  increases  were  offset by the  effects  of a  continuing
competitive pricing environment for most of our product lines.

North American Operations

Rehab Products Group.  Sales of the Rehab Products Group,  which consists of the
power  wheelchairs,  custom  manual  wheelchairs  and  seating  and  positioning
business units,  increased 22.4% mainly as a result of volume growth and a shift
to high-end power chairs.

Standard Products Group. Sales of the Standard Products Group, which consists of
the manual  wheelchairs,  patient  transport,  personal care beds,  low air loss
therapy,  Invacare Health Care Furnishings and retail business units,  increased
19.8%, with 13.5% due to the acquisition of Invacare Health Care Furnishings and
Frohock-Stewart  (retail),  which occurred during the first quarter of 1996. The
personal  care, low air loss therapy and manual  wheelchairs  product lines each
posted  sales  increases  which were  dampened by a reduction in purchases of a 
major customer and a continuing competitive pricing envoronment.

<PAGE>
                                       8

Respiratory  Products Group.  Sales of the  Respiratory Products Group,  which
consists  of  the  oxygen  concentrator,  liquid  oxygen,  aerosol  therapy  and
associated  respiratory  products  business  units,  declined  slightly  for the
quarter  ended  March  31,  1997.  Volume  decreases,  particularly  for  oxygen
concentrators  were  experienced  as a  result  of  lower  purchases  by a major
customer and the impact of uncertainty  surrounding proposed governmental budget
cuts. The volume decreases were offset by new product  introductions  and growth
in aerosol therapy.

Other. Other, consisting primarily of the company's Canadian, Australian and New
Zealand  operations,  aftermarket parts business and ambulatory  infusion pumps,
had a 27.3% sales increase with acquisitions accounting for 17.3% which included
Production Research Co. and Rollerchair.  Canadian operations experienced strong
growth in most major  product  lines as a result of focused  sales and marketing
efforts.

European Operations

European sales  increased 1.2%  excluding  the impact  from the  acquisition of
Fabriorto, and negative impact of 6.1% from foreign currency translation.  Sales
are being negatively impacted by governmental  reimbursement trends,  especially
in Germany.


GROSS PROFIT

Gross profit as a  percentage of  net sales  declined to 29.2% for the quarter
compared  to  31.0%  for the same  period a year  ago.  North  American  margins
remained  basically  flat with  prior year as a result of  increased  volume and
continued   manufacturing   productivity   improvements   offset  by  continuing
competitive  pricing pressures and a reduction in purchases by a major customer.
European gross margins  decreased as a result of lower  volume, an intensifying
pricing environment in the major markets and the strong dollar.


SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

Selling,  general  and  administrative  expense  as a  percentage  of net  sales
decreased to 20.9% in the first  quarter  compared to 23.4% in 1996.  The dollar
increase was $295,000,  less than 1%, with acquisition spending levels exceeding
the overall dollar increase for the company.

North American selling,  general and administrative  costs declined as a percent
to sales as these  costs  grew at a slower  rate  than  sales  for the  quarter.
European  operations'  selling,   general  and  administrative  expenses,  as  a
percentage of sales, decreased as a result of restructuring and cost containment
initiatives that began during 1996.


INTEREST

Interest  income in the quarter  ended March 31,  1997  increased  over the same
period a year ago mainly as a result of increased  installment loan volumes. For
the quarter, interest expense increased mainly due to higher average outstanding
borrowings.


INCOME TAXES

The Company had an effective  tax rate of 39.0% for the quarter  ended March 31,
1997 and 1996, respectively.  The tax rate has remained unchanged due in part to
the overall mix of anticipated  earnings in international  operations  remaining
unchanged.

<PAGE>
                                       9

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

The Company's  overall level  of long-term   obligations  decreased  $6,000,000
to $167,000,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 1997, principally as a result of
cash from  operations  used to paydown  borrowings.  The  Company  continues  to
maintain an adequate  liquidity position to fund its working capital and capital
requirements  through its cash flow from  operations  and its bank lines.  As of
March 31, 1997 the Company has  approximately  $291,000,000,  which includes the
$200,000,000 facility related to the pending tender offer for the acquisition of
Healthdyne Technologies, Inc., available under its lines of credit and under the
most  restrictive  covenant  of its debt  arrangements  could add an  additional
$360,000,000.

The  Company's  financing  arrangements  require  it  to  maintain  certain
conditions  with  respect  to  net  worth,  working  capital,   funded  debt  to
capitalization and interest coverage as defined in the bank and note agreements.
The Company is in compliance with all of the conditions.


CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

There were no material capital expenditure  commitments  outstanding as of March
31,  1997.  The Company  estimates  that  capital  investments  for 1997 will be
approximately $35 - $40 million.  The increase in spending is due principally to
the  construction  of a new corporate  headquarters  building and the continuing
implementation  of a worldwide  facilities  plan. The Company  believes that its
balances  of cash and cash  equivalents,  together  with  funds  generated  from
operations and existing  borrowing  capabilities  will be sufficient to meet its
operating  cash  requirements  and fund required  capital  expenditures  for the
foreseeable future.


ACQUISITIONS

In January,  1997  the company  commenced  a cash  tender offer for all of the
outstanding shares of common stock of Healthdyne Technologies,  Inc. The company
currently holds approximately 4.8% of Healthdyne's outstanding common stock. The
offer has been extended and is scheduled to expire on May 27, 1997.  The current
offer is $13.50 per share.


CASH FLOWS

Cash flows  provided by operating  activities  were $12.3  million for the first
quarter of 1997 compared to $9.8 million in 1996. The principle  contributors to
the increased  1997 cash flows provided by operating  activities  were increased
net income  and a decline in  inventory  levels as a result of  increased  sales
volume in units and focus on inventory management.

Cash  flows  required  for investing  activities  decreased by $21.9 million for
the first  quarter of 1997 when  compared  to 1996 mainly as a result of reduced
acquisition  activity  during the first quarter of 1997 and  increased  payments
received on installment sales contracts.

<PAGE>
                                       10

Cash flows used for financing activities were $2.4 million for the first quarter
of 1997 compared to cash provided from  financing of $20.6 million in 1996.  The
decrease in cash required from  financing  activities  was primarily a result of
reductions in long-term  borrowings which were used to fund  acquisitions in the
prior year.

The effect of foreign  currency  translation  results in amounts being shown for
cash flows in the  Consolidated  Statement of Cash Flows that are different from
the changes reflected in the respective balance sheet captions.


DIVIDEND POLICY

On February 15, 1997, the Board of Directors for Invacare Corporation declared a
quarterly cash dividend of $.0125 per Common Share to  shareholders of record as
of April 1, 1997, to be paid on April 15, 1997.  At the current  rate,  the cash
dividend will amount to $.05 per Common Share on an annual basis.

<PAGE>
                                       11

Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

         A        Exhibits:
                  Official Exhibit No.
                  27       Financial Data Schedule

         B        Reports on Form 8-K:   None

                  10(ap) Second  Amendment  to loan  agreement  among  Invacare
                         Corporation and certain  subsidiaries  and NBD, N.A., 
                         as agent dated February 27, 1997.

                  10(aq) Loan Agreement dated as of February 27, 1997 among 
                         Invacare Corporation and certain  subsidiaries and NBD
                         Bank, as  agent  and  Keybank   National   Association 
                         as co-agent.

                  10(ar) First  Amendment to Note  Agreement  among Invacare
                         Corporation  and five  purchasers  of Senior  Notes
                         dated March 20, 1997.


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                        INVACARE CORPORATION



                                        By: /S/ Thomas R. Miklich
                                        -------------------------
                                        Thomas R. Miklich
                                        Chief Financial Officer

Date:  May 15, 1997


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>         5
<MULTIPLIER>               1,000
       
<S>                                                                <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                      3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                  DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                                       MAR-31-1997
<CASH>                                                             6,040
<SECURITIES>                                                       2,474
<RECEIVABLES>                                                      102,128
<ALLOWANCES>                                                       (4,515)
<INVENTORY>                                                        74,557
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                   252,210
<PP&E>                                                             160,774
<DEPRECIATION>                                                     (82,650)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                     502,579
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                              91,652
<BONDS>                                                            0
                                              0
                                                        0
<COMMON>                                                           7,485
<OTHER-SE>                                                         235,949
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                                       502,579
<SALES>                                                            151,524
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                                   151,524
<CGS>                                                              107,306
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                                      107,306
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                                   31,693
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                                   0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                 695
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                                    11,830
<INCOME-TAX>                                                       4,610
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                                7,220
<DISCONTINUED>                                                     0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                                    0
<CHANGES>                                                          0
<NET-INCOME>                                                       7,220
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                      0.24
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                      0.24

        


</TABLE>


<PAGE>
                                       1

                       SECOND AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT


                  THIS SECOND AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT,  dated as of February
27, 1997 (this "Amendment"),  is among INVACARE CORPORATION, an Ohio corporation
(the "Company"),  each of the  Subsidiaries of the Company  designated under the
Loan Agreement (as described  below) as a Borrowing  Subsidiary  (the "Borrowing
Subsidiaries"  and  together  with  the  Company,  the  "Borrowers"  and  each a
"Borrower"),  the banks set forth on the signature  pages hereof  (collectively,
the  "Banks")  and NBD BANK, a Michigan  banking  corporation,  as agent for the
Banks (in such capacity, the "Agent").


                                    RECITALS

                  A. The  Borrowers,  the Agent and the Banks are  parties  to a
Loan  Agreement,  dated as of December 20, 1994, as amended by a First Amendment
to Loan Agreement dated as of July 31, 1996 (as now and hereafter  amended,  the
"Loan Agreement"),  pursuant to which the Banks agreed, subject to the terms and
conditions thereof, to extend credit to the Borrowers.

                  B.       The  Borrowers  desire  to amend  the Loan  Agreement
and the  Agent  and the Banks are willing to do so strictly in accordance with 
the terms hereof.


                                      TERMS

                  In consideration of the premises and of the mutual  agreements
herein contained, the parties agree as follows:


ARTICLE I.  AMENDMENTS.  Upon  fulfillment of the  conditions  set forth in 
Article III hereof,  the Loan Agreement shall be amended as follows:

                  1.1.     Section 1.1 shall be amended as follows:

     (a)  The  definition  of  "Applicable  Margin"  shall  be  deleted  and the
following shall be inserted in place thereof:

                          "Applicable  Margin" shall mean with respect
                 to any  Floating  Rate Loan,  Interbank  Offered Rate
                 Loan,  S/L/C fee payable  pursuant to Section  2.5(b)
                 and facility fee payable  pursuant to Section 2.5(a),
                 as the case may be,  the  applicable  percentage  set
                 forth in the  applicable  table  below as adjusted on
                 the  date  on  which  the  financial  statements  and
                 compliance  certificate  required pursuant to Section
                 5.1(d) are delivered to the Banks and shall remain in
                 effect until the next change to be effected  pursuant
                 to this definition,  provided, that, if any financial
                 statements referred to above are not delivered within
                 the time  period  specified  above,  then,  until the
                 financial  statements  are  delivered,  the  ratio of
                 Funded Debt to Total  Capitalization as of the end of
                 the  fiscal  quarter  that  would  have been  covered
                 thereby shall for the purposes of this  definition be
                 deemed to be greater than or equal to 0.58 to 1.0:

<PAGE>
                                       2

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                Applicable Margin

<S>                       <C>                     <C>                         <C>                <C>                     
========================= ----------------------- --------------------------- ------------------ ===================
Funded   Debt  to  Total  Floating Rate           Interbank Offered           S/L/C Fee          Facility Fee
Capitalization            Loan                    Rate Loan
========================= ----------------------- --------------------------- ------------------ ===================
Less than 0.40:0:1.0      0.00%                   0.185%                      0.185%             0.09%
========================= ----------------------- --------------------------- ------------------ ===================
Greater  than  or  equal  0.00%                   0.25%                       0.25%              0.125%
to  0.40:0:1.0  but less
than 0.50:1.0
========================= ----------------------- --------------------------- ------------------ ===================
Greater  than  or  equal  0.00%                   0.30%                       0.30%              0.15%
to  0.50:1.0   but  less
than 0.58:1.0
========================= ======================= =========================== ================== ===================
Greater  than  or  equal  0.00%                   0.45%                       0.45%              0.20%
to 0.58:1.00
========================= ======================= =========================== ================== ===================
</TABLE>


     (b) The definition of "Applicable  Lending Office" shall be deleted and the
following shall be inserted in place thereof:

                          "Applicable Lending Office" shall mean, with
                 respect  to any  Advance  made  by any  Bank  or with
                 respect to such Bank's Commitment, the office of such
                 Bank or of any  Affiliate of such Bank located at the
                 address  specified as the  applicable  lending office
                 for such Bank set forth next to the name of such Bank
                 in the signature  pages hereof or any other office or
                 Affiliate  of such Bank or of any  Affiliate  of such
                 Bank  hereafter  selected and notified to the Company
                 and the Agent by such Bank.  Unless  the Agent  shall
                 notify the Treasury Manager otherwise, the Applicable
                 Lending  Office  of the  Agent  shall  be:  (a)  with
                 respect to all Advances  denominated in Dollars,  the
                 principal  office of the Agent in Detroit,  Michigan;
                 (b) with respect to Advances  denominated in CAD, the
                 main  office of First  Chicago NBD Bank,  Canada,  an
                 Affiliate of the Agent, in Toronto, Ontario; (c) with
                 respect to all  Advances  denominated  in AUD or NZD,
                 the  branch of FNBC in  Adelaide,  Australia  and (d)
                 with  respect  to all other  Advances,  the branch of
                 FNBC in London, England.

     (c) The  definition  of  "Cumulative  Net  Income"  shall be deleted in its
entirely.

     (d) The  definition  of  "Required  Banks" shall be amended by deleting the
references  therein to "sixty-six and two-thirds  percent" and inserting  "sixty
percent" in place thereof.
<PAGE>
                                       3

     (e) The following  definitions  shall be added in appropriate  alphabetical
order:

                            "Consolidated  Net Income" of any person shall mean,
                            for any period,  the net income (after deduction for
                            income and other taxes of such person  determined by
                            reference  to income or profits of such  person) for
                            such period (but without  reduction for any net loss
                            incurred  for any fiscal year  during such  period),
                            all  as  determined  in  accordance  with  generally
                            accepted accounting principles.

                            "FNBC"  shall  mean  The  First   National  Bank  of
                            Chicago, an Affiliate of the Agent.

                            "1997 Loan Agreement"  shall mean the loan agreement
                            dated as of February 27, 1997 among the Company, the
                            Borrowing  Subsidiaries  party  thereto,  the  banks
                            party thereto,  and NBD Bank, as agent,  as amended,
                            modified, refinanced or replaced from time to time.

                  1.2      A new  Section  3.9 shall be added to the Loan  
Agreement  at the end of Article  III to read as follows:

                                    3.9  Right of Banks  to Fund  Through  Other
                            Offices.  Each Bank may  perform its  Commitment  to
                            fund its pro rata share of any Loan or, with respect
                            to the Agent,  any Swing Line Loan to the  Borrowers
                            by causing an affiliate of such Bank to provide such
                            funds  in   accordance   with  the   terms  of  this
                            Agreement.  For all purposes of this Agreement,  any
                            amounts  so  advanced  shall be  deemed to have been
                            advanced  by such Bank,  and the  obligation  of the
                            Borrowers to repay such amounts shall be as provided
                            in this Agreement.

                  1.3  Section  4.8 shall be  amended  by adding  the  following
language at the end thereof:  "except where the failure to obtain such consents,
approvals, authorizations, declarations, registrations or filings would not have
a  material  adverse  effect on the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a
whole".

                  1.4      Sections  5.2(a),  (b) and (c) shall be deleted and
the  following  shall be inserted in place thereof:

                           (a)  Interest  Coverage  Ratio.  Permit or suffer the
                           Interest  Coverage  Ratio to be less than (i)  during
                           any quarter in which the ratio of Consolidated Funded
                           Debt  of  the   Company  and  its   Subsidiaries   to
                           Consolidated Total  Capitalization of the Company and
                           its  Subsidiaries  is  greater  than 0.58 to 1.00 but
                           less than  0.68 to 1.00,  2.25 to 1.0 and (ii) at all
                           other times,  3.0 to 1.0; in each case  calculated as
                           of the  end of  each  fiscal  quarter  for  the  four
                           immediately preceding fiscal quarters.

                           (b) Net  Worth.  Permit  or suffer  Consolidated  Net
                           Worth of the Company and its Subsidiaries at any time
                           to be less than (i) $200,000,000 plus (ii) 50% of the
                           Consolidated  Net  Income  of  the  Company  and  its
                           Subsidiaries  for each  fiscal  year of the  Company,
                           commencing  on (A) if the Merger  (as  defined in the
                           1997 Loan Agreement)  occurs or the aggregate  amount
                           of Loans  outstanding  under the 1997 Loan  Agreement
                           exceed  $100,000,000  on or before December 31, 1997,
                           in either case,  the fiscal year ending  December 31,
                           1997;  provided,  that,  the  Company  shall  not  be
                           required  to include  any net income of the  Company,
                           its  Subsidiaries  or  Healthdyne  (as defined in the
                           1997 Loan  Agreement)  prior to the  Merger or (B) in
                           any other case,  the fiscal year ending  December 31,
                           1998,  provided that, if such Consolidated Net Income
                           is  negative  for any  fiscal  year,  then the amount
                           added for such  fiscal  year  shall be zero and shall
                           not  reduce  the  amount  added for any other  fiscal
                           year.
<PAGE>
                                       4

                           (c) Funded  Debt to Total  Capitalization.  Permit or
                           suffer the ratio of  Consolidated  Funded Debt of the
                           Company and its  Subsidiaries to  Consolidated  Total
                           Capitalization of the Company and its Subsidiaries to
                           exceed .68 to 1.0 at any time,  decreasing  to .65 to
                           1.0. on the earlier of (A) the date which is nine (9)
                           months  after the date of the Merger  (as  defined in
                           the 1997 Loan  Agreement),  or (B) the date  which is
                           nine (9) months after the date on which the aggregate
                           amount  of  Loans  (as   defined  in  the  1997  Loan
                           Agreement)  outstanding under the 1997 Loan Agreement
                           exceed $100,000,000.

                  1.5 Section  5.2(d) shall be amended by  replacing  the "." at
the end of clause  (vii) with "; and" and adding a new clause  (viii) at the end
of Section 5.2(d) to read as follows:

                           (viii) Liens assumed by the Company or any Subsidiary
                           on the assets of  Healthdyne  (as defined in the 1997
                           Loan  Agreement)  in connection  with the  Healthdyne
                           Acquisition (as defined in the 1997 Loan Agreement).


                  1.6 Section 6.1 shall be amended by  replacing  the "." at the
end of Section  6.1(j)  with ":or" and adding a new  Section  6.1 (k) to read as
follows:

                           (k) 1997 Loan Agreement.  The occurrence of any Event
                           of Default  (as  defined in the 1997 Loan  Agreement)
                           under the 1997 Loan Agreement.

                  1.7 Section  8.6(d) shall be amended by deleting the reference
  therein to "(which  consent  may be  withheld  in the sole  discretion  of the
  Company)" and inserting the following language immediately after the reference
  in  line  two  to  "Agent":  "(which  consent,  in  each  case,  will  not  be
  unreasonably withheld)".

                  1.8 The forms of Schedules  1.1(a),  4.4, 4.5, 4.12 and 5.2 
attached to the Loan Agreement  shall be replaced with the forms of such 
Schedules attached hereto.

ARTICLE II.  REPRESENTATIONS.  Each Borrower represents and warrants to the
Agent and the Banks that:

                  2.1 The execution,  delivery and performance of this Amendment
is within its powers,  has been duly authorized and is not in contravention with
any law,  of the terms of its  Articles  of  Incorporation  or  By-laws,  or any
undertaking to which it is a party or by which it is bound.

                  2.2 This Amendment is the legal,  valid and binding obligation
of the Borrower enforceable against it in accordance with the terms hereof.

                  2.3 After giving effect to the  amendments  herein  contained,
the representations and warranties contained in Article IV of the Loan Agreement
are true on and as of the date  hereof with the same force and effect as if made
on and as of the date hereof.

                  2.4 No Event of Default or any event or condition  which might
become an Event of Default with notice or lapse of time, or both,  exists or has
occurred and is continuing on the date hereof.
<PAGE>
                                       5

ARTICLE III.  CONDITIONS OF  EFFECTIVENESS.  This Amendment shall not become  
effective until each of the following has been satisfied:

                  3.1 This Amendment shall be signed by the Borrowers, the Agent
and the Banks.

                  3.2 The Company shall have  requested a Loan (as defined in 
the 1997 Loan  Agreement)  under the 1997 Loan Agreement.


ARTICLE IV.  MISCELLANEOUS.

                  4.1   References  in  the  Loan  Agreement  or  in  any  note,
certificate,  instrument  or other  document  to the "Loan  Agreement"  shall be
deemed to be references to the Loan  Agreement as amended  hereby and as further
amended from time to time.

                  4.2 The Company  agrees to pay and to save the Agent  harmless
for the  payment  of all costs and  expenses  arising  in  connection  with this
Amendment,  including the reasonable  fees of counsel to the Agent in connection
with preparing this Amendment and the related documents.

                  4.3 Each Borrower  acknowledges  and agrees that the Agent and
the Banks have fully  performed  all of their  obligations  under all  documents
executed in  connection  with the Loan  Agreement  and all actions  taken by the
Agent and the Banks are reasonable and appropriate  under the  circumstances and
within their rights under the Loan Agreement and all other documents executed in
connection  therewith and otherwise  available.  Each  Borrower  represents  and
warrants  that it is not aware of any  claims or  causes of action  against  the
Agent or any Bank, any participant lender or any of their successors or assigns.

                  4.4 Except as expressly  amended hereby,  each Borrower agrees
that the Loan  Agreement,  the  Notes,  the  Security  Documents  and all  other
documents and  agreements  executed by the Company in  connection  with the Loan
Agreement in favor of the Agent or any Bank are ratified and confirmed and shall
remain in full  force and  effect  and that it has no set off,  counterclaim  or
defense with respect to any of the foregoing.  Terms used but not defined herein
shall have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Loan Agreement.

                  4.5  This   Amendment   may  be  signed  upon  any  number  of
counterparts  with the same effect as if the signatures  thereto and hereto were
upon the same instrument.
<PAGE>
                                       6

                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties  signing this Amendment have
caused this Amendment to be executed and delivered as of February 27, 1997.


                              INVACARE CORPORATION


                              By:/S/ Thomas R Miklich
                              -----------------------

                              Its  Chief Financial Officer
                              ----------------------------


                              INVACARE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

                              By:/S/ Thomas R Miklich
                              -----------------------
                                 
                              Its  Treasurer and Secretary
                              ----------------------------


                              INVACARE (UK) LIMITED

                              By:/S/ Thomas R Miklich
                              -----------------------
                              
                              Its  Director
                              -----------------------


                              INVACARE CANADA INC.

                              By:/S/ Thomas R Miklich
                              -----------------------
                                 
                              Its  Treasurer and Secretary
                              ----------------------------
                               
 
                              QUANTRIX CONSULTANTS LIMITED

                              By:/S/ A. Malachi Mixon, III
                              ----------------------------
                                 
                              Its  Director
                              ----------------------------
                              

                              DYNAMIC CONTROLS LIMITED

                              By:/S/ A. Malachi Mixon, III
                              ----------------------------
                                 
                              Its  Director
                              ----------------------------

                              REHADAP S.A.

                              By:/S/ Thomas R Miklich
                              -----------------------
                               
                              Its  POA for Benoit Juranville, President
                              -----------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                       7

                              INVACARE (DEUTSCHLAND) GmbH

                              By:/S/ Thomas R Miklich
                              -----------------------
                              
                              Its  POA for Wubbe Berkenbosch, General Manager
                              -----------------------------------------------

                               BENCRAFT LIMITED

                               By:/S/ Thomas R Miklich
                              -----------------------
                               
                               Its  Director
                              ------------------------


                               KUSCHALL DESIGN AG, formerly known as
                               Paratec AG


                               By: /S/ Gerald B. Blouch
                               ------------------------

                               Its  President
                               ------------------------

                                INVACRE AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

                                By:/S/ Thomas R Miklich
                                -----------------------
                               
                                Its  Director
                                ------------------------
                              

                                POIRIER GROUPE INVACARE

                                By:/S/ Thomas R Miklich
                                -----------------------
                               
                                Its  POA for Benoit Juranville, President
                                -----------------------------------------
                                

                                NBD BANK, as Agent and Individually as a Bank


                                By:/S/ Winifred S. Pinet
                                -----------------------------------

                                Its  First Vice President
                                -----------------------------------

                                 NATIONAL CITY BANK

                                 By:/S/ Michael P. McCuen
                                 -----------------------------------

                                 Its Vice President
                                 -----------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                       8

                                 KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
                                 formerly known as Society National Bank
                                 
                                 By:/S/ Thomas J. Purcell
                                 -----------------------------------

                                 Its Vice President
                                 -----------------------------------

                                 SOCIETE GENERALE

                                 By:/S/ Joseph A. Philbin
                                 -----------------------------------

                                 Its Vice President
                                 -----------------------------------

                                 SUN TRUST BANK, CENTRAL FLORIDA, N.A.,
                                 formerly known as SunBank,
                                 National Association

                                 By:/S/ Janet P. Sammons
                                 -----------------------------------

                                 Its  Vice President
                                 -----------------------------------


<PAGE>
                                       1
  
     THIS LOAN AGREEMENT,  dated as of February 27, 1997 (as amended or modified
from time to time, this "Agreement"),  is by and among INVACARE CORPORATION,  an
Ohio corporation (the "Company"), each of the Subsidiaries of the Company now or
hereafter designated in Section 1.1 as a Borrowing Subsidiary  (individually,  a
"Borrowing  Subsidiary" and  collectively,  the "Borrowing  Subsidiaries")  (the
Company and the Borrowing  Subsidiaries  may each be referred to as a "Borrower"
and,  collectively,  as the  "Borrowers"),  Invacare  Corporation,  as  treasury
manager for the Borrowers (the "Treasury  Manager"),  the Banks set forth on the
signature pages hereof (collectively,  the "Banks" and individually,  a "Bank"),
NBD  BANK,  a  Michigan  banking  corporation,  as agent  for the Banks (in such
capacity,  the "Agent") and Keybank  National  Association,  a national  banking
association, as co-agent for the Banks (in such capacity, the "Co-Agent").


                                  INTRODUCTION


     The Borrowers desire to obtain a revolving credit facility in the aggregate
principal  amount of  $200,000,000,  in order to finance the  acquisition of the
capital  stock of Healthdyne  Technologies,  Inc. and to provide funds for their
other general corporate purposes,  including other  acquisitions,  and the Banks
are willing to establish such a credit facility in favor of the Borrowers on the
terms and conditions herein set forth.

     In  consideration  of the  premises  and of the  mutual  agreements  herein
contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:



                                  1. ARTICLE 1.
                                   DEFINITIONS

     1.1 Certain Definitions.  As used herein the following terms shall have the
following respective meanings:

     "Acquisition"  shall  mean  any  transaction,  or  any  series  of  related
transactions,  consummated on or after the date of this Agreement,  by which the
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  (i) acquires  any going  business or all or
substantially  all of the assets of any firm,  corporation or limited  liability
company,  or division  thereof,  whether through  purchase of assets,  merger or
otherwise or (ii) directly or indirectly  acquires (in one transaction or as the
most recent  transaction  in a series of  transactions)  at least a majority (in
number of votes) of the securities of a corporation  which have ordinary  voting
power for the election of  directors  (other than  securities  having such power
only by reason of the happening of a  contingency)  or a majority (by percentage
or voting power) of the  outstanding  ownership  interests of a  partnership  or
limited liability company.

     "Acquisition  Documents" shall mean, with respect to any  Acquisition,  all
purchase agreements,  agreements and plans of merger, acquisition agreements and
other  agreements,  instruments  or  documents  executed in  connection  with or
relating  to  such  Acquisition,   including  without  limitation  all  required
governmental,  non-governmental  (including without limitation shareholders) and
other  approvals  and consents  required in  connection  therewith and all other
agreements and documents executed or delivered in connection therewith.

     "Affiliate"  when used with  respect  to any  person  shall  mean any other
person which,  directly or indirectly,  controls or is controlled by or is under
common  control with such  person.  For  purposes of this  definition  "control"
(including  the  correlative  meanings of the terms  "controlled  by" and "under
common  control  with"),  with  respect to any  person,  shall mean  possession,
directly or  indirectly,  of the power to direct or cause the  direction  of the
management and policies of such person,  whether through the ownership of voting
securities or by contract or otherwise.

<PAGE>
                                       2

     "Agent" shall mean NBD and its successors.

     "Applicable  Lending  Office" shall mean,  with respect to any Loan made by
any Bank or with respect to such Bank's  Commitment,  the office of such Bank or
of any Affiliate of such Bank located at the address specified as the applicable
lending  office  for such  Bank set  forth  next to the name of such Bank in the
signature  pages  hereof or any other office or Affiliate of such Bank or of any
Affiliate  of such Bank  hereafter  selected and notified to the Company and the
Agent  by such  Bank.  Unless  the  Agent  shall  notify  the  Treasury  Manager
otherwise,  the  Applicable  Lending  Office of the Agent shall be the principal
office of the Agent in Detroit, Michigan.

     "Applicable  Margin" shall mean with respect to any Interbank  Offered Rate
Loan and the facility fees payable  pursuant to Section 2.4(a),  as the case may
be,  the  applicable  percentage  set  forth in the  applicable  table  below as
adjusted  on  the  date  on  which  the  financial   statements  and  compliance
certificate  required  pursuant to Section 5.1(d) are delivered to the Banks and
shall  remain in effect  until the next change to be  effected  pursuant to this
definition,  provided,  that, if any financial  statements referred to above are
not delivered within the time period specified above,  then, until the financial
statements are delivered, the ratio of Funded Debt to Total Capitalization as of
the end of the fiscal quarter that would have been covered thereby shall for the
purposes  of this  definition  be deemed to be greater  than or equal to 0.58 to
1.0:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                Applicable Margin
          <S>                                         <C>                      <C>                                     
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
                                                      Interbank Offered
          Funded Debt to Total Capitalization         Rate Loan                Facility Fee
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
          Less than 0.40:1.0                          0.185%                   0.09%
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
          Greater than or equal to
          0.40:1.0 but less than 0.50:1.0             0.25%                    0.125%
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
          Greater than or equal to
          0.50:1.0 but less than 0.58:1.0             0.30%                    0.15%
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
          Greater than or equal to 0.58:1.0           0.45%                    0.20%
          ------------------------------------------- ------------------------ -----------------------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
                                       3

     "Assignment and Acceptance" is defined in Section 8.6(d).

     "Bank   Obligations"   shall  mean  all   indebtedness,   obligations   and
liabilities,   whether  now  owing  or  hereafter  arising,   direct,  indirect,
contingent or  otherwise,  of the Borrowers to the Agent or any Bank pursuant to
the Loan Documents.

     "Borrowing"  shall mean the  aggregation of Loans made to any Borrower,  or
continuations  and  conversions  of such Loans,  made pursuant to Article 2 on a
single date and for a single Interest Period. A Borrowing may be referred to for
purposes of this  Agreement  by  reference  to the type of Loan  comprising  the
relating Borrowing, e.g., a "Floating Rate Borrowing" if such Loans are Floating
Rate Loan or an "Interbank  Offered Rate  Borrowing" if such Loans are Interbank
Offered Rate Loans.

     "Borrowing  Subsidiary"  shall mean each of the Subsidiaries of the Company
set forth on  Schedule  1.1(a) on the  Effective  Date  together  with any other
Subsidiary  of the  Company  upon  request  by the  Company  to  the  Agent  for
designation of such Subsidiary as a "Borrowing  Subsidiary" hereunder so long as
(a) the Company and the other  Guarantors  guarantee the obligations of such new
Borrowing  Subsidiary  pursuant  to the  terms of the  Guaranties,  (b) such new
Borrowing  Subsidiary  delivers Notes executed in favor of each Bank and (c) the
Company and such new  Borrowing  Subsidiary  execute an agreement in the form of
Exhibit A hereto.

     "Business Day" shall mean a day other than a Saturday,  Sunday or other day
on which (a) the Agent is not open to the public for  carrying on  substantially
all of its banking  functions or (b) if such  reference  relates to the date for
payment  or  purchase  of any  amount  denominated  in any  currency  other than
Dollars,   banks  are  not  generally   open  to  the  public  for  carrying  on
substantially all of their banking  functions in the principal  financial center
of the country issuing such currency.

     "Capital  Lease" of any person  shall mean any lease which,  in  accordance
with generally accepted  accounting  principles,  is capitalized on the books of
such person.

     "Code" shall mean the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended from time
to time, and the regulations thereunder.

     "Commitment"  shall mean, with respect to each Bank, the commitment of each
such Bank to make Loans, in amounts not exceeding in aggregate  principal amount
outstanding at any time the respective  commitment amount for each such Bank set
forth next to the name of each such Bank in the signature pages hereof or, as to
any Bank becoming a party hereto after the  Effective  Date, as set forth in the
applicable Assignment and Acceptance, as such amounts may be reduced or modified
from time to time pursuant to this Agreement.

     "Consolidated"  or  "consolidated"  shall mean, when used with reference to
any  financial  term in this  Agreement,  the  aggregate for the Company and its
consolidated  Subsidiaries  of the amounts  signified  by such term for all such
persons determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles.

<PAGE>
                                       4

     "Consolidated Net Income" of any person shall mean, for any period, the net
income (after deduction for income and other taxes of such person  determined by
reference  to income or profits of such  person) for such  period  (but  without
reduction for any net loss incurred for any fiscal year during such period), all
as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

     "Contingent  Liabilities"  of any person  shall mean,  as of any date,  all
obligations  of such person or of others for which such  person is  contingently
liable, as obligor, guarantor, surety or in any other capacity, or in respect of
which  obligations such person assures a creditor against loss or agrees to take
any action to prevent  any such loss  (other  than  endorsements  of  negotiable
instruments  for  collection  in the  ordinary  course of  business),  including
without  limitation all  reimbursement  obligations of such person in respect of
any letters of credit,  surety bonds or similar  obligations and all obligations
of such  person to Loan funds to, or to  purchase  assets,  property or services
from,  any other  person in order to maintain  the  financial  condition of such
other person.

     "Default"  shall mean any of the events or conditions  described in Section
6.1 which might become an Event of Default with notice or lapse of time or both.

     "Designated  Borrower"  shall mean,  in relation to any Loan,  the Borrower
nominated by the Treasury Manager as the Designated  Borrower in the request for
such Loan.

     "Dollars"  and "$" shall  mean the  lawful  money of the  United  States of
America.

     "EBIT" shall mean, with respect to any person,  for any period,  the sum of
(a)  operating net income or loss plus (b) all amounts  deducted in  determining
such  operating  net income or loss on account of (i) Interest  Expense and (ii)
taxes based on or measured  by income,  all as  determined  in  accordance  with
generally accepted accounting principles.

     "Effective  Date"  shall mean the  effective  date  specified  in the final
paragraph of this Agreement.

     "Environmental Laws" at any date shall mean all provisions of law, statute,
ordinances, rules, regulations,  judgments, writs, injunctions, decrees, orders,
awards and standards  which are applicable to any Borrower or any Subsidiary and
promulgated  by the  government  of the United  States of America or any foreign
government  or  by  any  state,   province,   municipality  or  other  political
subdivision  thereof  or  therein  or by  any  court,  agency,  instrumentality,
regulatory  authority  or  commission  of any of the  foregoing  concerning  the
protection of, or regulating the discharge of substances into, the environment.

     "ERISA" shall mean the Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended from time to time, and the regulations thereunder.

     "ERISA  Affiliate"  shall mean,  with  respect to any person,  any trade or
business (whether or not incorporated)  which,  together with such person or any
Subsidiary of such person,  would be treated as a single  employer under Section
414 of the Code.

     "Event of Default" shall mean any of the events or conditions  described in
Section 6.1.

<PAGE>
                                       5

     "Federal Funds Rate" shall mean the per annum rate that is equal to the per
annum  rate  established  and  announced  by the Agent  from time to time as the
opening federal funds rate paid or payable by the Agent in its regional  federal
funds  market  for  overnight  borrowings  from  other  banks;  as  conclusively
determined by the Agent,  absent manifest error,  such rate to be rounded up, if
necessary,  to the nearest whole  multiple of one  one-hundredth  of one percent
(1/100 of 1%),  which  Federal Funds Rate shall change  simultaneously  with any
change in such announced rates.

     "FNBC" shall mean The First  National Bank of Chicago,  an Affiliate of the
Agent.

     "Fixed Rate Loan" means any Negotiated Rate Loan or Interbank  Offered Rate
Loan.

     "Floating  Rate"  shall mean the per annum rate equal to the greater of (i)
the Prime Rate in effect  from time to time,  or (ii) the sum of one-half of one
percent (1/2 of 1%) per annum plus the Federal Funds Rate in effect from time to
time;  which Floating Rate shall change  simultaneously  with any change in such
Prime Rate or Federal Funds Rate, as the case may be.

     "Floating  Rate  Loan"  shall  mean any Loan which  bears  interest  at the
Floating Rate.

     "Funded  Debt" of any person  shall mean all  Indebtedness  that would,  in
accordance with generally accepted accounting  principles,  constitute long term
debt,  including  (a) any  Indebtedness  with a maturity of longer than one year
after the creation of such Indebtedness,  (b) any Indebtedness outstanding under
a revolving credit or similar  agreement (and any renewal or extension  thereof)
providing for borrowings  which  constitute long term debt;  provided,  however,
that all Indebtedness  outstanding  under this Agreement shall be deemed "Funded
Debt" at all times  regardless  of the  proper  classification  under  generally
accepted accounting principles, (c) any Capital Lease and (d) any guarantee with
respect to Funded  Debt of another  person to the  extent  the  indebtedness  or
obligations  guaranteed  are not included in the  liabilities of the Company and
its Subsidiaries  determined on a consolidated  basis as of the date of the last
balance  sheet  required  to be  furnished  to the  Banks  pursuant  to  Section
5.1(d)(ii) or 5.1(d)(iii) of this Agreement.

     "generally  accepted  accounting  principles" shall mean generally accepted
accounting  principles  in  effect  from  time to time  and  applied  on a basis
consistent  with that  reflected  in the  financial  statements  referred  to in
Section 4.6, unless any change in generally accepted accounting  principles from
those in effect on the Effective Date materially  impacts the calculation of the
covenants set forth in Sections 5.2(a), (b) and (c).

     "Guaranties"  shall mean each guaranty  entered into by the  Guarantors for
the benefit of the Agent and the Banks pursuant to this Agreement in the form of
Exhibit  B-1 hereto  with  respect to the  Company  and  Exhibit B-2 hereto with
respect to all other Guarantors, as amended or modified from time to time.

     "Guarantor"  shall mean the Company and each of the Subsidiaries  listed on
Schedule 1.1(b) and each person  becoming a Subsidiary  after the Effective Date
and requested by the Agent to execute a Guaranty,  or otherwise  entering into a
Guaranty from time to time; provided,  however, Healthdyne shall not be required
to  become a  Guarantor  and  execute  a  Guaranty  until  after  the  Merger is
completed.
<PAGE>
                                       6
     "Healthdyne"   shall  mean   Healthdyne   Technologies,   Inc.,  a  Georgia
corporation.

     "Healthdyne  Acquisition" shall mean the Acquisition of at least 51% of the
capital stock of Healthdyne pursuant to the terms of the Healthdyne  Acquisition
Document, free and clear of any Liens.

     "Healthdyne  Acquisition  Document"  shall mean all  Acquisition  Documents
executed,  delivered or obtained in connection with the Healthdyne  Acquisition,
including  without  limitation the Schedule 14D-1 filed by the Company under the
Securities  and Exchange Act of 1934 and dated  January 27, 1997,  including all
annexes and schedules  thereto,  and all  agreements  and documents  executed in
connection  therewith,  and all  required  governmental,  shareholder  and other
approvals and consents required in connection therewith and all other agreements
and documents executed or delivered in connection therewith.

     "Indebtedness"  shall  mean  (i)  indebtedness  for  borrowed  money,  (ii)
obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures,  notes or other similar instruments,
(iii)  obligations  to pay the deferred  purchase price of property or services,
except for trade  accounts  payable  arising in the ordinary  course of business
that are not more than 90 days past due or as are  reasonably  being  contested,
(iv)  obligations  as lessee  under leases  which have been in  accordance  with
generally  accepted  accounting  principles,  recorded  as Capital  Leases,  (v)
obligations to purchase  property or services if payment is required  regardless
of whether  such  property is delivered  or services  are  performed  (generally
called "take or pay" contracts),  but such obligations shall only be included in
an amount equal to the difference between the amount of the required payment and
the value to the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company of the goods or services
required  to be  delivered  in  connection  with  such  required  payment,  (vi)
obligations  in  respect  of  currency  or  interest  rate  swaps or  comparable
transactions  valued at the maximum  termination payment payable by the obligor,
other than any such contracts entered into as hedges against Indebtedness of the
kinds  referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above,  (vii) any  obligation  of any
Person other than the Company or its Subsidiaries, if such obligation is secured
by any lien on the property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,  provided
that, the amount of any such Indebtedness shall be limited to the greater of the
then book value or fair market  value of the  property  securing  any such lien,
(viii)  guaranties in respect of indebtedness or obligations of other Persons of
the kinds  referred  to in clauses (i) through  (vii)  above,  to the extent the
indebtedness  or obligations  guaranteed are not included in the  liabilities of
the Company and its  Subsidiaries  determined on a consolidated  basis as of the
date of the last balance sheet required to be furnished to the Banks pursuant to
Section  5.1(d)(ii) or 5.1(d)(iii) of this  Agreement,  and (ix)  liabilities in
respect of unfunded vested benefits under plans covered by Title IV of ERISA.

     "Interbank Offered Rate" applicable to any Interbank Interest Period means,
the per annum rate that is equal to the sum of:

     (a) the Applicable Margin, plus

     (b) the rate per annum  obtained  by  dividing  (i) the per  annum  rate of
interest at which deposits in Dollars for such Interbank  Interest Period and in
an aggregate amount  comparable to the amount of the related  Interbank  Offered
Rate Loan to be made by FNBC in its capacity as a Bank  hereunder are offered to
the Agent by other prime banks in the applicable  interbank  market  selected by
the Agent in its reasonable  discretion,  at  approximately  11:00 a.m.  Detroit
time,  on the  second  Interbank  Business  Day  prior to the  first day of such
Interbank  Interest  Period  by (ii) an amount  equal to one  minus  the  stated
maximum rate  (expressed  as a decimal) of all reserve  requirements  including,
without  limitation,  any marginal,  emergency,  supplemental,  special or other
reserves,  that is specified on the first day of such Interbank  Interest Period
by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor agency
thereto)  or the  relevant  fiscal or monetary  authority  for  determining  the
maximum  reserve  requirement  with respect to eurocurrency  funding  (currently
referred  to as  "Eurocurrency  liabilities"  in  Regulation  D of  such  Board)
maintained by a member bank of such System;  all as  conclusively  determined by
the Agent,  absent manifest error,  such sum to be rounded up, if necessary,  to
the nearest whole  multiple of one  one-hundredth  of one percent (1/100 of 1%);
which Interbank Offered Rate shall change  simultaneously with any change in the
Applicable Margin.

<PAGE>
                                     7
     "Interbank  Business Day" shall mean, with respect to any Interbank Offered
Rate Loan,  a day which is both a Business  Day and a day on which  dealings  in
Dollar deposits are carried out in the relevant interbank market.

     "Interbank  Interest  Period"  shall mean,  with  respect to any  Interbank
Offered Rate Loan, the period  commencing on the day such Interbank Offered Rate
Loan is made or converted  to an  Interbank  Offered Rate Loan and ending on the
date one, two, three or six months  thereafter,  as any Borrower may elect under
Section 2.5 or 2.8, and each subsequent period commencing on the last day of the
immediately preceding Interbank Interest Period and ending on the date one, two,
three or six months  thereafter,  as any Borrower may elect under Section 2.5 or
2.8, provided,  however,  that (a) any Interbank Interest Period which commences
on the last Interbank  Business Day of a calendar month (or on any day for which
there is no numerically corresponding day in the appropriate subsequent calendar
month)  shall  end on  the  last  Interbank  Business  Day  of  the  appropriate
subsequent  calendar  month,  (b) each  Interbank  Interest  Period  which would
otherwise  end on a day which is not an Interbank  Business Day shall end on the
next succeeding  Interbank  Business Day or, if such next  succeeding  Interbank
Business Day falls in the next succeeding  calendar month, on the next preceding
Interbank  Business  Day, and (c) no Interbank  Interest  Period which would end
after the Termination Date shall be permitted.

     "Interbank  Offered Rate Loan" shall mean any Loan which bears  interest at
the Interbank Offered Rate.

     "Interest  Expense" of any person shall mean, for any period,  all interest
paid or payable by such person during such period.

     "Interest  Coverage  Ratio"  shall mean,  as of any date,  the ratio of (a)
Consolidated  EBIT as calculated  for the four most recently  ended  consecutive
fiscal  quarters  of  the  Company  to  (b)  Consolidated  Interest  Expense  as
calculated for the same four fiscal quarters.

     "Interest  Payment Date" shall mean (a) with respect to any Negotiated Rate
Loan or Interbank  Offered Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest  Period with
respect to such Negotiated Rate Loan or Interbank  Offered Rate Loan and, in the
case of any Interest Period exceeding three months, those days that occur during
such  Interest  Period at  intervals of three months after the first day of such
Interest Period, and (b) in all other cases,  within five (5) days of receipt of
an invoice  containing a  computation  of interest  due,  which invoice shall be
prepared as of the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December
occurring  after the date hereof,  commencing  with the first such  Business Day
occurring after the date of this Agreement.

     "Interest  Period" shall mean any Negotiated  Interest  Period or Interbank
Interest Period.

     "Lien"  shall mean any pledge,  assignment,  deed of trust,  hypothecation,
mortgage,  security  interest,  conditional  sale or title  retaining  contract,
financing  statement filing, or any other type of lien,  charge,  encumbrance or
other similar claim or right.

     "Loan" shall mean any Revolving  Credit Loan or any Swing Line Loan, as the
context may require.

     "Loan Documents" shall mean this Agreement, the Notes, the Guaranties,  the
Subrogation and Contribution  Agreement and any other  agreement,  instrument or
document executed at any time in connection with this Agreement.
<PAGE>
                                       8

     "Merger"  shall  mean the  merger of  Healthdyne  into the  Company  or any
wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company.

     "Multiemployer  Plan"  shall  mean any  "multiemployer  plan" as defined in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA or Section 414(f) of the Code.

     "NBD" shall mean NBD Bank, a Michigan banking corporation.

     "Negotiated  Interest  Period" shall mean,  with respect to any  Negotiated
Rate Loan, the period commencing on the day such Negotiated Rate Loan is made or
converted to a Negotiated Rate Loan and ending on the date agreed upon among the
Borrowers and the Agent at the time such  Negotiated Rate Loan is made, and each
subsequent  period  commencing  on the  last  day of the  immediately  preceding
Negotiated  Interest  Period  and  ending  on the date  agreed  upon  among  the
Borrowers and the Agent at the time such  Negotiated  Rate Loan is elected to be
continued as a Negotiated Rate Loan by the Borrowers under Section 2.8, provided
no Negotiated  Interest Period which would end after the Termination  Date shall
be permitted.

     "Negotiated Rate" shall mean, with respect to any Negotiated Rate Loan, the
rate per annum agreed upon between the  Borrowers and the Agent at the time such
Negotiated Rate Loan is made.

     "Negotiated  Rate Loan"  shall mean any Loan which  bears  interest  at the
Negotiated Rate.

     "Net Cash Proceeds" means,  without  duplication (a) in connection with any
sale or other  disposition  of any asset or any  settlement  by, or  receipt  of
payment in respect of, any property  insurance claim or condemnation  award, the
cash proceeds  (including any cash payments  received by way of deferred payment
of principal  pursuant to a note or  installment  receivable  or purchase  price
adjustment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received) of such sale,
settlement  or  payment,  net of  reasonable  and  documented  attorneys'  fees,
accountants'  fees,  investment  banking fees, amounts required to be applied to
the repayment of Indebtedness secured by a Lien expressly permitted hereunder on
any asset which is the  subject of such sale,  insurance  claim or  condemnation
award  (other  than any Lien in favor of the Agent for the  benefit of the Agent
and the  Banks)  and  other  customary  fees  actually  incurred  in  connection
therewith  and net of taxes  paid or  reasonably  estimated  to be  payable as a
result  thereof and (b) in  connection  with any  issuance or sale of any equity
securities or debt  securities or instruments  or the  incurrence of loans,  the
cash  proceeds  received  from such  issuance or  incurrence,  net of investment
banking fees,  reasonable and documented  attorneys'  fees,  accountants'  fees,
underwriting  discounts and commissions and other  reasonable and customary fees
and expenses actually incurred in connection therewith.

     "Net  Worth" of any person  shall mean,  as of any date,  the amount of any
preferred  stock,  paid in capital and similar equity accounts plus (or minus in
the case of a deficit) the capital surplus and retained  earnings of such person
and the amount of any foreign currency translation adjustment account shown as a
capital account of such person minus treasury stock.

     "1994 Loan  Agreement"  shall mean the loan agreement  dated as of December
20, 1994 among the Company, the Borrowing  Subsidiaries party thereto, the banks
party  thereto,  and NBA Bank,  formerly known as NBA Bank,  N.A., as agent,  as
amended, modified, refinanced or replaced from time to time.

     "Notes"  shall  mean the  Revolving  Credit  Notes and the Swing Line Note;
"Note" shall mean any Revolving Credit Note or any Swing Line Note.
<PAGE>
                                       9

     "Overdue  Rate" shall mean (a) in respect of  principal  of  Floating  Rate
Loans,  a rate per annum that is equal to the sum of two percent  (2%) per annum
plus the Floating  Rate, (b) in respect of principal of Fixed Rate Loans, a rate
per annum  that is equal to the sum of two  percent  (2%) per annum plus the per
annum rate in effect thereon until the end of the then current  Interest  Period
for such Loan and, thereafter,  a rate per annum that is equal to the sum of two
percent  (2%) per annum  plus the  Floating  Rate,  and (c) in  respect of other
amounts payable by any Borrower  hereunder  (other than  interest),  a per annum
rate that is equal to the sum of two  percent  (2%) per annum plus the  Floating
Rate.

     "PBGC" shall mean the Pension Benefit  Guaranty  Corporation and any entity
succeeding to any or all of its functions under ERISA.

     "Permitted Liens" shall mean Liens permitted by Section 5.2(d) hereof.

     "Person" or "person" shall include an individual, a corporation,  a limited
liability  company,  an association,  a partnership,  a trust or estate, a joint
stock company,  an  unincorporated  organization,  a joint  venture,  a trade or
business (whether or not incorporated),  a government  (foreign or domestic) and
any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity.

     "Plan" shall mean, with respect to any person, any pension plan (other than
a  Multiemployer  Plan)  subject to Title IV of ERISA or to the minimum  funding
standards of Section 412 of the Code which has been established or maintained by
such person,  any  Subsidiary of such person or any ERISA  Affiliate,  or by any
other  person  if such  person,  any  Subsidiary  of such  person  or any  ERISA
Affiliate could have liability with respect to such pension plan.

     "Prime Rate" shall mean the per annum rate announced by the Agent from time
to time as its "prime rate" (it being  acknowledged that such announced rate may
not  necessarily  be  the  lowest  rate  charged  by  the  Agent  to  any of its
customers), which Prime Rate shall change simultaneously with any change in such
announced rate.

     "Prohibited  Transaction" shall mean any non-exempt  transaction  involving
any Plan  which is  proscribed  by Section  406 of ERISA or Section  4975 of the
Code.

     "Reportable  Event" shall mean a  reportable  event as described in Section
4043(b) of ERISA  including  those events as to which the thirty (30) day notice
period is waived  under  Part 2615 of the  regulations  promulgated  by the PBGC
under ERISA.

     "Required  Banks" shall mean Banks  holding not less than sixty  percent of
the aggregate  principal  amount of the Revolving  Credit Loans then outstanding
(or sixty  percent of the  Commitments  if no  Revolving  Credit  Loans are then
outstanding).

     "Revolving  Credit  Loan"  shall  mean  any  Borrowing  under  Section  2.5
evidenced by the Revolving Credit Notes and made pursuant to Section 2.1(a).

     "Revolving  Credit Note" shall mean any  promissory  note of the  Borrowers
evidencing the Revolving Credit Loans in  substantially  the form annexed hereto
as Exhibit C, as amended or  modified  from time to time and  together  with any
promissory note or notes issued in exchange or replacement therefor.

     "Short Term Borrowings" shall mean all Indebtedness for borrowed money with
an original maturity less than one year, other than the Loans.
<PAGE>
                                       10

     "Subsidiary"  of any  person  shall  mean any  other  person  (whether  now
existing or hereafter  organized  or  acquired) in which (other than  directors'
qualifying  shares  required  by law) at least a majority of the  securities  or
other  ownership  interests  of each  class  having  ordinary  voting  power  or
analogous right (other than  securities or other ownership  interests which have
such power or right only by reason of the  happening of a  contingency),  at the
time as of which any determination is being made, are owned, beneficially and of
record,  by such  person  or by one or more of the  other  Subsidiaries  of such
person or by any combination thereof.  Unless otherwise specified,  reference to
"Subsidiary" shall mean a Subsidiary of the Company.

     "Subordinated  Debt"  of  any  person  shall  mean,  as of any  date,  that
Indebtedness  of such person for borrowed  money which is expressly  subordinate
and junior in the right of  payment to the Loans of such  person to the Banks in
manner and by  agreement  satisfactory  in form and  substance  to the  Required
Banks, which consent and agreement may not be unreasonably withheld.

     "Subrogation  and  Contribution  Agreement"  shall mean the subrogation and
contribution Agreement entered into by the Guarantors pursuant to this Agreement
in the form of Exhibit I hereto, as amended or modified from time to time.

     "Swing Line Bank" shall mean FNBC or any  Affiliate  of FNBC,  or any other
Bank designated as "Swing Line Bank" hereunder by the Company, such Bank and the
Agent.

     "Swing Line Facility" shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.1(b).

     "Swing Line Loan" shall mean any borrowing under Section 2.5 evidenced by a
Swing Line Note and made pursuant to Section 2.1(b).

     "Swing Line Note" shall mean the promissory  note of the Company payable to
the order of the Swing Line Bank, in  substantially  the form annexed  hereto as
Exhibit  D, as  amended  or  modified  from time to time and  together  with any
promissory note or notes issued in exchange or replacement therefor.

     "Termination  Date"  shall  mean the  earlier  to  occur of (a) the  second
anniversary of the initial Loan hereunder, (b) October 31, 1999 and (c) the date
on which the Commitment shall be terminated pursuant to Section 2.3 or 6.2.

     "Total  Capitalization"  of any  person  shall mean the sum of Net Worth of
such person and Funded Debt of such person.

     "Treasury  Manager"  includes  any  Affiliate  of the Company  appointed in
writing  by the  Company  and the  Borrowers  as  Treasury  Manager  under  this
Agreement in the place of the person  named above,  and which is accepted by the
Agent for that purpose.

     "Unfunded Benefit Liabilities" shall mean, with respect to any
Plan as of any date, the amount of the unfunded benefit  liabilities  determined
in accordance with Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA.

     1.2 Other  Definitions;  Rules of Construction.  As used herein,  the terms
"Agent", "Banks",  "Company",  "Borrowing Subsidiary",  "Borrowing Subsidiaries"
and "this Agreement" shall have the respective  meanings ascribed thereto in the
introductory  paragraph of this Agreement.  Such terms,  together with the other
terms  defined in Section  1.1,  shall  include both the singular and the plural
forms  thereof and shall be construed  accordingly.  All  computations  required
hereunder  and all  financial  terms used herein  shall be made or  construed in
accordance with generally accepted accounting  principles unless such principles
are  inconsistent  with the express  requirements of this Agreement.  Use of the
terms "herein",  "hereof",  and "hereunder"  shall be deemed  references to this
Agreement  in its  entirety  and not to the Section or clause in which such term
appears.  References to "Sections"  and  "subsections"  shall be to Sections and
subsections,  respectively,  of this  Agreement  unless  otherwise  specifically
provided.
<PAGE>
                                       11


                                  2. ARTICLE 2
                          THE COMMITMENTS AND THE LOANS

     2.1 Commitments of the Banks.

     (a) Revolving Credit Loans. Each Bank agrees,  for itself only,  subject to
the terms and conditions of this  Agreement,  to make Revolving  Credit Loans to
the Borrowers  pursuant to Section 2.5, from time to time from and including the
Effective Date to but excluding the Termination Date, not to exceed in aggregate
principal  amount at any time  outstanding  the amount  determined  pursuant  to
Section  2.1(c).  On the date of each Loan,  the aggregate  amount of all Loans,
including  the Loans to be made or requested on such date,  shall not exceed the
aggregate Commitments.

     (b) Swing Line Loan. (i) The Treasury Manager may request of the Agent that
Swing  Line Bank  make,  and the Swing  Line  Bank may,  in its sole  discretion
provided that the requirements of Section 2.7 are complied with by the Borrowers
at the time of such request,  make,  Swing Line Loans to the Borrowers from time
to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective  Date until the
Termination Date in an aggregate  principal amount not to exceed at any date the
lesser of (A)  $10,000,000  (the "Swing Line Facility") and (B) the aggregate of
the unused portions of the Commitments of the Banks as of such date. Each Bank's
Commitment  shall be deemed  utilized by an amount equal to such Bank's pro rata
share (based on such Bank's  Commitment) of each Swing Line Loan for purposes of
determining  the amount of Revolving  Credit  Loans  required to be made by such
Bank. Swing Line Loans shall bear interest at the Interbank  Offered Rate or the
Negotiated Rate, as the Borrowers may elect hereunder.  Within the limits of the
Swing Line  Facility,  so long as the Swing Line Bank,  in its sole  discretion,
elects to make Swing Line Loans,  the  Borrowers  may borrow and reborrow  under
this Section 2.1(b)(i).

     (ii)  The  Swing  Line  Bank  may at any  time  in its  sole  and  absolute
discretion  require  that any Swing Line Loan be refunded by a Revolving  Credit
Loan,  and upon notice  thereof by the Agent to the  Company and the Banks,  the
Borrowers  shall be deemed to have  requested  a Revolving  Credit Loan  bearing
interest at the Floating Rate in an amount equal to the amount of any such Swing
Line Loan and such Revolving Credit Loan shall be made to refund such Swing Line
Loan. Each Bank shall be absolutely and unconditionally obligated (except as set
forth in Section  2.1(b)(i))  to fund its pro rata share  (based on such  Bank's
Commitment)  of such  Revolving  Credit  Loan and such  obligation  shall not be
affected by any circumstance,  including,  without limitation,  (i) any set-off,
counterclaim,  recoupment, defense or other right which such Bank or the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries may have against the Swing Line Bank, any Borrower or
any of their respective  Subsidiaries or anyone else for any reason  whatsoever;
(ii) the occurrence or  continuance  of a Default or an Event of Default;  (iii)
any adverse change in the condition  (financial or otherwise) of any Borrower or
any of its  Subsidiaries;  (iv) any breach of this  Agreement by any Borrower or
any of  their  respective  Subsidiaries  or any  other  Bank;  or (v) any  other
circumstance,  happening or event  whatsoever,  whether or not similar to any of
the  foregoing  (including  any  Borrower's  failure to satisfy  any  conditions
contained in Article 2 or any other provision of this Agreement).

     (c)  Limitation  on  Amount  of  Loans.  Notwithstanding  anything  in this
Agreement to the contrary,  (i) the aggregate  principal amount of the Revolving
Credit  Loans  made by any Bank at any time  outstanding  shall not  exceed  the
amount of its respective  Commitment as of the date any such Loan is made,  (ii)
the  aggregate  amount of Loans  requested  hereunder to finance the  Healthdyne
Acquisition shall not exceed the aggregate  available amount of the Commitments,
(iii) the aggregate amount of Loans requested  hereunder for other  Acquisitions
shall not exceed  $15,000,000,  and (iv) the aggregate amount of Loans requested
hereunder for general corporate purposes,  other than the Healthdyne Acquisition
or any other Acquisition, shall not exceed $15,000,000.

<PAGE>
                                       12

     2.2 Effect on  Commitments.  Notwithstanding  anything in this Agreement to
the  contrary,  the sum of the  aggregate  outstanding  principal  amount of all
Revolving  Credit  Loans plus all Swing Line Loans  shall not at any time exceed
the aggregate amount of the Commitments of all Banks.

     2.3 Termination  and Reduction of  Commitments.  The Company shall have the
right to terminate or reduce the  Commitments  at any time and from time to time
at its option,  provided  that (A) the  Treasury  Manager  shall give five days'
prior  written  notice of such  termination  or  reduction  to the  Agent  (with
sufficient  executed  copies for each Bank)  specifying the amount and effective
date  thereof,  (B) each  partial  reduction  of the  Commitments  shall be in a
minimum amount of $5,000,000  and in integral  multiples of $1,000,000 and shall
reduce the  Commitments of all of the Banks  proportionately  in accordance with
the respective  Commitment amounts for each such Bank set forth in the signature
pages  hereof  next to the name of each such Bank,  (C) no such  termination  or
reduction  shall be permitted with respect to any portion of the  Commitments as
to which a request for a Borrowing  pursuant to Section 2.5 is then  pending and
(D) the Commitments may not be terminated if any Loans are then  outstanding and
may not be reduced below the  principal  amount of Loans then  outstanding.  The
Commitments  or any  portion  thereof  terminated  or reduced  pursuant  to this
Section 2.3, whether optional or mandatory, may not be reinstated. The Borrowers
shall  immediately  prepay  the Loans to the  extent  they  exceed  the  reduced
aggregate  Commitments pursuant hereto, and any reduction hereunder shall reduce
the  Commitment  amount  of each Bank  proportionately  in  accordance  with the
respective  Commitment  amounts  for each such  Bank set forth on the  signature
pages hereof next to the name of each such Bank.

     2.4 Fees.

     (a) The  Company  agrees  to pay to the Banks a  facility  fee on the daily
average amount of the Commitments,  whether used or unused,  for the period from
the Effective Date to but excluding the Termination Date, at a rate equal to the
Applicable  Margin for the facility fee.  Accrued facility fees shall be payable
quarterly  in arrears in Dollars  within  five (5) days of receipt of an invoice
prepared by the Agent  containing a computation of facility fees due computed on
the basis of 360 days and assessed for the actual number of days elapsed,  which
invoice  shall be prepared  as of the last  Business  Day of each  March,  June,
September  and  December,  commencing  on the first such  Business Day occurring
after the date of this Agreement, and on the Termination Date.

     (b) The Borrowers agrees to pay to the Agent an agency fee for its services
as Agent under this Agreement in such amounts as may from time to time be agreed
upon by the Borrowers and the Agent.

     2.5 Disbursement of Loans.
<PAGE>
                                       13

     (a) Except with  respect to Swing Line Loans,  the Treasury  Manager  shall
give the Agent notice of its request for each Loan in substantially  the form of
Exhibit E hereto at the principal  office of the Agent not later than 10:00 a.m.
Detroit time (i) three  Interbank  Business  Days prior to the date such Loan is
requested to be made if such  Borrowing  is to be made as an  Interbank  Offered
Rate  Borrowing,  and (ii) on the date such Loan is requested to be made if such
Loan is to be made as a Floating Rate Borrowing,  which notice shall specify the
Designated  Borrower  for which such Loan is  requested,  whether  an  Interbank
Offered Rate Loan or Floating  Rate Loan is  requested  and, in the case of each
requested  Interbank  Offered  Rate Loan,  the  Interest  Period to be initially
applicable to such Loan. With respect to Swing Line Loans,  the Treasury Manager
shall  give the  Agent  notice  of its  request  for  each  Swing  Line  Loan in
substantially  the form of Exhibit E hereto at the principal office of the Agent
not later than 1:00 p.m.  Detroit  time on the same  Business Day any Swing Line
Loan is requested to be made which notice shall specify the Designated  Borrower
for which such Swing Line Loan is requested. The Agent, on the same day any such
notice is given, shall provide notice of such requested Revolving Credit Loan to
each Bank (which notice shall be provided by 1:00 p.m. Detroit time). Subject to
the terms and conditions of this Agreement,  the proceeds of each such requested
Loan shall be made available to the Designated  Borrower requesting such Loan by
depositing the proceeds thereof, in immediately  available,  freely transferable
cleared funds in an account maintained and designated by such Borrower.

     (b) Each Bank,  on the date any  Revolving  Credit Loan is  requested to be
made,  shall make its pro rata share of such Revolving  Credit Loan available in
immediately available, freely transferable cleared funds for disbursement to the
Designated Borrower requesting such Loan pursuant to the terms and conditions of
this  Agreement,  at the principal  office of the Agent.  Unless the Agent shall
have received notice from any Bank prior to the date such Revolving  Credit Loan
is  requested  to be made  under this  Section  2.5 that such Bank will not make
available to the Agent such Bank's pro rata portion of such Loan,  the Agent may
assume that such Bank has made such  portion  available to the Agent on the date
such Loan is requested to be made in accordance with this Section 2.5. If and to
the extent such Bank shall not have so made such pro rata  portion  available to
the  Agent,  the Agent  may (but  shall not be  obligated  to) make such  amount
available to such Designated Borrower,  and such Bank agrees to pay to the Agent
forthwith on demand such amount  together  with interest  thereon,  for each day
from the date such amount is made available to such  Designated  Borrower by the
Agent  until the date such  amount is repaid to the  Agent,  at a rate per annum
equal to the Federal Funds Rate. If such Bank shall pay such amount to the Agent
together with interest,  such amount so paid shall constitute a Revolving Credit
Loan  by  such  Bank  as part of the  related  Borrowing  for  purposes  of this
Agreement.  The  failure  of any Bank to make its pro rata  portion  of any such
Borrowing  available  to the Agent  shall  not  relieve  any  other  Bank of its
obligation to make  available its pro rata portion of such Loan on the date such
Loan is requested to be made,  but no Bank shall be  responsible  for failure of
any other Bank to make such pro rata portion  available to the Agent on the date
of any such Loan.

     (c) All  Revolving  Credit  Loans  made  under  this  Section  2.5 shall be
evidenced by the Revolving Credit Notes and all Swing Line Loans made under this
Section 2.5 shall be evidenced by the Swing Line Note,  and all such Loans shall
be due and  payable  and bear  interest  as  provided in Article 3. Each Bank is
hereby  authorized  by the  Borrowers to record on the schedule  attached to the
Notes, or in its books and records,  the date,  amount and type of each Loan and
the duration of the related Interest Period (if applicable),  the amount of each
payment or prepayment of principal thereon,  and the other information  provided
for on such schedule,  which schedule or books and records,  as the case may be,
shall constitute prima facie evidence of the information so recorded,  provided,
however, that failure of any Bank to record, or any error in recording, any such
information  shall not relieve the  Borrowers of their  obligation  to repay the
outstanding  principal  amount of the Loans,  all accrued  interest  thereon and
other amounts  payable with respect  thereto in accordance with the terms of the
Notes and this Agreement. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
each Borrower may borrow  Revolving  Credit Loans under this Section 2.5, prepay
Revolving  Credit Loans  pursuant to Section 3.1 and reborrow  Revolving  Credit
Loans under this Section 2.5.

<PAGE>
                                       14


     2.6 Conditions for First Disbursement.  The obligation of each Bank to make
its first Loan hereunder is subject to receipt by each Bank and the Agent of the
following  documents  and  completion  of the  following  matters,  in form  and
substance reasonably satisfactory to each Bank and the Agent:

     (a)  Charter  Documents.  Certificates  of recent  date of the  appropriate
authority  or  official  of the  Company's  state of  incorporation  listing all
charter  documents of the Company,  on file in that office and  certifying as to
the good standing and corporate  existence of the Company,  together with copies
of such charter documents of the Company,  certified as of a recent date by such
authority or official and certified as true and correct as of the Effective Date
by a duly authorized officer of the Company;

     (b)  By-Laws  and  Corporate  Authorizations.  Copies of the by-laws of the
Company  together  with  all  authorizing  resolutions  and  evidence  of  other
corporate  action taken by the Company to authorize the execution,  delivery and
performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Guaranty and the Notes and the
consummation by the Company of the transactions  contemplated hereby,  certified
as true and correct as of the Effective Date by a duly authorized officer of the
Company;

     (c)  Incumbency  Certificate.  Certificates  of incumbency of each Borrower
containing,  and  attesting  to the  genuineness  of,  the  signatures  of those
officers  authorized to act on behalf of such  Borrower in connection  with this
Agreement  and  the  Notes  and  the   consummation  by  such  Borrower  of  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby,  certified  as true  and  correct  as of the
Effective Date by a duly authorized officer of each Borrower;

     (d) Notes.  The Notes,  duly executed on behalf of the Borrowers,  for each
Bank;

     (e) Guaranties and Subrogation and Contribution  Agreement.  The Guaranties
and the Subrogation and  Contribution  Agreement duly executed by the Guarantors
for the Banks;

     (f) Legal Opinion.  The favorable  written opinion of legal counsel for the
Company and the domestic Guarantors in the form of Exhibit F attached hereto;

     (g)   Consents,   Approvals,   Etc.   Copies   of  all   governmental   and
nongovernmental consents, approvals, authorizations, declarations, registrations
or filings,  if any,  required on the part of the Company in connection with the
execution,  delivery and  performance  of this  Agreement,  the Guaranty and the
Notes or the transactions contemplated hereby or as a condition to the legality,
validity or  enforceability  of this Agreement and the Notes,  certified as true
and  correct  and in full  force and effect as of the  Effective  Date by a duly
authorized  officer of the Company,  or, if none are required,  a certificate of
such officer to that effect; and

     (h)  Amendment  to 1994  Loan  Agreement.  All  parties  to the  1994  Loan
Agreement  shall  have  entered  into an  amendment  to the 1994 Loan  Agreement
conforming  all interest  rates,  fees and covenants to those  contained in this
Agreement,  and containing such other  amendments  required by the Agent, all in
form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.

     2.7 Further  Conditions  for  Disbursement.  The obligation of each Bank to
make any Loan  (including  its first Loan),  or any  continuation  or conversion
under  Section  2.8, is further  subject to the  satisfaction  of the  following
conditions precedent:
<PAGE>
                                       15

     (a) The representations and warranties contained in Article 4 hereof and in
any other Loan  Document  shall be true and correct in all material  respects on
and as of the date such Loan is made,  continued or  converted  (both before and
after such Loan is made,  continued or converted) as if such representations and
warranties were made on and as of such date; and

     (b) No Event of Default and no Default  shall exist or shall have  occurred
and be continuing on the date such Loan is made, continued or converted (whether
before or after such Loan is made, continued or converted);

     (c) In the case of any Loan for the  purpose of  financing  the  Healthdyne
Acquisition,  each of the following conditions shall be satisfied: (i) copies of
all  governmental  and   non-governmental   (including  without  limitation  any
shareholders) consents, approvals, authorizations,  declarations,  registrations
or filings  required  on the part of the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  in
connection with the execution,  delivery,  performance  and  consummation of the
Healthdyne   Acquisition  and  the  Healthdyne   Acquisition  Documents  or  the
transactions contemplated thereby or as a condition to the legality, validity or
enforceability  of the Healthdyne  Acquisition  and the  Healthdyne  Acquisition
Documents,  certified as true and correct and in full force and effect by a duly
authorized  officer  of the  Company,  shall  have  been  delivered  to,  and be
satisfactory  to, the Agent,  (ii) the Agent shall have  completed its review of
all Healthdyne Acquisition Documents,  which review shall be satisfactory to the
Agent, (iii) copies of all other Healthdyne Acquisition Documents,  certified as
true and  correct and in full force and effect by a duly  authorized  officer of
the Company shall have been delivered to, and be satisfactory to, the Agent.

Each Borrower shall be deemed to have made a representation  and warranty to the
Banks at the time of the making of, and the  continuation or conversion of, each
Loan to the effects set forth in clauses (a) and (b) of this  Section  2.7.  For
purposes of this Section 2.7, the  representations  and warranties  contained in
Section  4.6  hereof  shall be  deemed  made  with  respect  to the most  recent
financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(d)(ii) and (iii).

     2.8 Subsequent  Elections as to Borrowings.  The Treasury Manager may elect
(a) to continue a Fixed Rate Borrowing of one type, or a portion  thereof,  as a
Fixed Rate  Borrowing of the then  existing  type, or (b) may elect to convert a
Fixed Rate Borrowing,  or a portion  thereof,  to a Borrowing of another type or
(c) elect to convert a Floating Rate Borrowing, or a portion thereof, to a Fixed
Rate  Borrowing,  in  each  case  by  giving  notice  thereof  to the  Agent  in
substantially  the form of Exhibit G hereto at the principal office of the Agent
not later than 10:00 a.m.  Detroit time (i) three Interbank  Business Days prior
to the date any such  continuation of or conversion to an Interbank Offered Rate
Borrowing is to be effective and (ii) the date such  continuation  or conversion
is to be effective in all other cases,  provided that an outstanding  Fixed Rate
Borrowing  may only be converted  on the last day of the then  current  Interest
Period with respect to such Borrowing, and provided,  further, if a continuation
of a Borrowing as, or a conversion of a Borrowing to, a Fixed Rate  Borrowing is
requested,  such notice shall also specify the Interest  Period to be applicable
thereto upon such  continuation  or conversion.  The Agent,  on the day any such
notice is given,  shall  provide  notice of such  election to the Banks.  If the
Treasury  Manager  shall not timely  deliver  such a notice with  respect to any
outstanding  Fixed Rate Borrowing,  the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected
to convert such Fixed Rate  Borrowing to a Floating  Rate  Borrowing on the last
day of the then current Interest Period with respect to such Borrowing.
<PAGE>
                                       16

     2.9  Limitation  of  Requests  and  Elections.  Notwithstanding  any  other
provision of this Agreement to the contrary,  if, upon receiving a request for a
Fixed Rate Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.5, or a request for a continuation of
a Fixed Rate Borrowing as a Fixed Rate Borrowing of the then existing type, or a
request for  conversion  of a Fixed Rate  Borrowing  of one type to a Fixed Rate
Borrowing  of another  type,  or a request for a conversion  of a Floating  Rate
Borrowing to a Fixed Rate Borrowing  pursuant to Section 2.8, (a) in the case of
any Interbank Offered Rate Borrowing, deposits in Dollars for periods comparable
to the Interest  Period elected by the Borrower are not available to any Bank in
the relevant  Interbank  or  secondary  market and such Bank has provided to the
Agent and the Borrowers a certificate  prepared in good faith to that effect, or
(b) any Bank  reasonably  determines  that the  Interbank  Offered Rate will not
adequately  and  fairly  reflect  the cost to such Bank of  making,  funding  or
maintaining the related  Interbank  Offered Rate Loan and such Bank has provided
to the Agent and the  Borrowers  a  certificate  prepared  in good faith to that
effect,  or (c) by reason of national or international  financial,  political or
economic  conditions  or by  reason  of any  applicable  law,  treaty,  rule  or
regulation  (whether  domestic or foreign) now or  hereafter  in effect,  or the
interpretation or administration  thereof by any governmental  authority charged
with the  interpretation  or administration  thereof,  or compliance by any Bank
with any directive of such  authority  (whether or not having the force of law),
including without limitation exchange controls, it is impracticable, unlawful or
impossible for any Bank (i) to make or fund the relevant Fixed Rate Borrowing or
(ii) to continue such Fixed Rate Borrowing as a Fixed Rate Borrowing of the then
existing  type or (iii) to convert a Loan to such a Fixed  Rate  Loan,  and such
Bank has provided to the Agent and the Borrowers a certificate  prepared in good
faith to that effect, then the Borrowers shall not be entitled,  so long as such
circumstances  continue,  to request a Fixed Rate Borrowing of the affected type
pursuant  to Section  2.5 or a  continuation  of or  conversion  to a Fixed Rate
Borrowing of the affected  type  pursuant to Section 2.8. In the event that such
circumstances no longer exist, the Banks shall again honor requests,  subject to
this  Agreement,  for Fixed Rate  Borrowings  of the affected  type  pursuant to
Section 2.5, and requests for  continuations  of and  conversions  to Fixed Rate
Borrowings of the affected type pursuant to Section 2.8.

     2.10 Minimum  Amounts;  Limitation on Number of Borrowings.  Except for (a)
Borrowings and conversions  thereof which exhaust the entire remaining amount of
the Commitments,  and (b) conversions or payments  required  pursuant to Section
3.1(b) or Section 3.7, each Loan and each continuation or conversion pursuant to
Section 2.8 and each  prepayment  thereof shall be in a minimum  amount of, with
respect to Interbank  Officered Rate Loans $1,000,000 and in integral  multiples
thereof  and,  with  respect to Floating  Rate Loans or  Negotiated  Rate Loans,
$500,000 and in integral multiples of $100,000.

     2.11 Treasury Manager. Each Borrower authorizes the Treasury Manager to act
as its manager in making  requests and in carrying out as its manager and on its
behalf  all  other  functions  conferred  on the  Treasury  Manager  under  this
Agreement and all other ancillary  functions.  Each Borrower further agrees that
the Treasury Manager may nominate any Borrower as the Designated  Borrower,  and
agrees  that the Loans  allocated  to it, and all other acts  carried out by the
Treasury  Manager falling within its authority,  shall be conclusive and binding
on it and all  parties.  Neither any Bank nor the Agent is or shall be deemed to
be  concerted  as  to  the  Treasury  Manager's  compliance  or  otherwise  with
instructions  from any  Borrower.  The  content of each  request and every other
notice delivered by the Treasury Manager shall be irrevocable, and the Agent and
the Banks shall be entitled to rely fully on their content.
<PAGE>
                                       17


                                  3. ARTICLE 3.
                            PAYMENTS AND PREPAYMENTS

     3.1 Principal Payments.

     (a) Unless earlier payment is required under this Agreement,  the Borrowers
shall pay to the Banks on the Termination Date the entire outstanding  principal
amount of the Loans.

     (b) The  Borrowers  may at any time and from time to time  prepay  all or a
portion of the Loans  without  premium or penalty,  provided that (i) a Borrower
may not prepay any portion of any Loan as to which an election for  continuation
of or  conversion  to a Fixed Rate Loan is pending  pursuant to Section 2.8, and
(ii)  unless  earlier  payment is  required  under this  Agreement  (other  than
prepayments  required  pursuant to Section 5.1(g),  5.2(f)(i) and 6.2) or unless
Borrower pays all amounts required  pursuant to Section 3.8, any Fixed Rate Loan
may only be prepaid on the last day of the then  current  Interest  Period  with
respect to such Loan and (iii) such  prepayment  shall only be  permitted if the
Treasury  Manager  shall have given  notice  thereof on the Business Day of such
prepayment with respect to prepayment of Floating Rate Loans and Negotiated Rate
Loans and not less than three  Interbank  Business  Days'  notice  thereof  with
respect to prepayment of Interbank  Offered Rate Loans,  such notice  specifying
the Loan or portion  thereof to be so prepaid  and shall have paid to the Banks,
together with such prepayment of principal,  all accrued interest to the date of
payment on such Loan or portion  thereof so prepaid and all amounts owing to the
Banks under Section 3.8 in connection with such  prepayment.  Upon the giving of
such notice,  the aggregate  principal amount of such Loan or portion thereof so
specified in such notice, together with such accrued interest and other amounts,
shall become due and payable on the specified date.

     3.2 Interest Payments. The Borrowers shall pay interest to the Banks on the
unpaid principal amount of each Loan, for the period commencing on the date such
Loan is made until such Loan is paid in full, on each Interest  Payment Date and
at maturity  (whether at stated  maturity,  by acceleration  or otherwise),  and
thereafter on demand, at the following rates per annum:

     (a) With respect to Revolving Credit Loans:

     (i)  During  such  periods  that such Loan is a  Floating  Rate  Loan,  the
Floating Rate.

     (ii) During such periods that such Loan is an Interbank  Offered Rate Loan,
the Interbank  Offered Rate  applicable to such Loan for each related  Interbank
Interest Period.

     (b) With respect to Swing Line Loans:

     (i) During such periods  that such Loan is an Interbank  Offered Rate Loan,
the Interbank Offered Rate.

     (ii) During such  periods  that such Loan is a  Negotiated  Rate Loan,  the
Negotiated Rate.

Notwithstanding  the foregoing  paragraphs (a) and (b), the Borrowers  shall pay
interest on demand at the Overdue Rate on the  outstanding  principal  amount of
any Loan and any other amount  payable by the  Borrowers  hereunder  (other than
interest) on and after an Event of Default.

<PAGE>
                                       18

     3.3 Payment Method.

     (a) All payments to be made by the Borrowers  hereunder will be made to the
Agent for the  account of the Banks in  Dollars  and in  immediately  available,
freely transferable, cleared funds, not later than 2:00 p.m. Detroit time on the
date on which such  payment  shall become due to the Agent at the address of its
principal  office  specified  in  Section  8.2.  Payments  to be made in Dollars
received after 2:00 p.m.  Detroit time shall be deemed to be payments made prior
to 2:00 p.m.  Detroit time on the next  succeeding  Business  Day. Each Borrower
hereby  authorizes  the Agent to charge its  account  with the Agent in order to
cause timely  payment of amounts due hereunder to be made (subject to sufficient
funds being available in such account for that purpose).

     (b) At the time of making each such payment,  a Borrower shall,  subject to
the other  terms and  conditions  of this  Agreement,  specify to the Agent that
Borrowing or other  obligation of the Borrowers  hereunder to which such payment
is to be applied.  In the event that a Borrower fails to so specify the relevant
obligation or if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing,  the
Agent may apply such  payments as it may  determine  in its sole  discretion  to
obligations of the Borrowers to the Banks arising under this Agreement.

     (c) On the day such payments are deemed received,  the Agent shall promptly
remit to the  Banks  their  pro rata  shares  of such  payments  in  immediately
available funds to the Banks at their respective  address  specified for notices
pursuant to Section 8.2. Such pro rata shares shall be  determined  with respect
to each such Bank,  (i) in the case of payments of principal and interest on any
Borrowing,  by the ratio  which the  outstanding  principal  balance of its Loan
included in such Borrowing  bears to the  outstanding  principal  balance of the
Loans of all of the Banks  included  in such  Borrowing  and (ii) in the case of
fees paid pursuant to Section 2.4 and other  amounts  payable  hereunder  (other
than the Agent's fees payable  pursuant to Section 2.4(b) and amounts payable to
any Bank under  Section  3.6 or 3.8) by the ratio which the  Commitment  of such
Bank bears to the Commitments of all the Banks.

     3.4 No Setoff or Deduction.

     (a) All such payments shall be made free and clear of any present or future
taxes  or  withholdings  and  without  any  set-off  or  counter  claim  or  any
restriction or condition or deduction whatsoever.  The Borrowers shall indemnify
the Agent and each Bank against any taxes or charges  (other than on net overall
income)  which may be claimed  from it in respect of the Loans or any of them or
any sum payable by the Borrowers or any of them hereunder and against any costs,
charges and expenses or  liabilities in respect of such claim and such indemnity
shall survive the termination of the Commitments.

     (b) If at any time any  Borrower is required by law or by any  directive or
order  of  any  court  of  competent  jurisdiction  to  make  any  deduction  or
withholding  of whatsoever  nature from any payment due under this  Agreement or
any of the Loan  Documents,  such  Borrower  will  ensure that the same does not
exceed the minimum  liability  therefor  and will (a) pay to any Bank on request
such  additional  amount as such Bank  certifies  will  result in the net amount
received by it after all  deductions  being equal to the full amount which would
have been  receivable  had there been no  deduction or  withholding  and (b) pay
forthwith  to the  relevant  authorities  the full  amount of the  deduction  or
withholding  and deliver to the Agent such an official  receipt,  certificate or
other  proof  evidencing  the  amount  paid  in  respect  of such  deduction  or
withholding.  Any  additional  amount  paid under this  sub-clause  shall not be
treated as interest but as agreed compensation.
<PAGE>
                                       19

     (c) If any  payment by any  Borrower  is made to or for the  account of any
Bank after deduction for or on account of tax, and additional  payments are made
by any Borrower  then, if any Bank shall receive or be granted a credit  against
or  remission  for such tax,  such Bank  shall,  to the extent that it can do so
without  prejudice to the  retention of the amount of such credit or  remission,
reimburse  to such  Borrower  such  amount as such Bank shall,  in its  absolute
opinion,  have concluded to be  attributable to the relevant tax or deduction or
withholding. Nothing herein contained shall interfere with the right of any Bank
to arrange its affairs in whatever manner it thinks fit and, in particular,  the
Banks shall not be under any  obligation  to claim  relief from its  corporation
profits or similar tax liability in respect of such tax in priority to any other
claims,  reliefs,  credits or deductions  available to it nor oblige any Bank to
disclose any information  relating to its tax affairs.  Such reimbursement shall
be made as soon as  reasonably  practical  upon  such Bank  certifying  that the
amount of such credit or remission has been received by it.

     3.5 Payment on Non-Business Day; Payment Computations.  Except as otherwise
provided  in  this  Agreement  to the  contrary,  whenever  any  installment  of
principal of, or interest on, any Loan or any other amount due hereunder becomes
due and payable on a day which is not a Business Day, the maturity thereof shall
be  extended  to the  next  succeeding  Business  Day  and,  in the  case of any
installment  of  principal,  interest  shall be payable  thereon at the rate per
annum  determined  in  accordance  with this  Agreement  during such  extension.
Computations  of interest and other  amounts due under this  Agreement  shall be
made on the basis of a year of 360 days (or 365 or 366 days, as the case may be,
when  determining  the  Floating  Rate) for the actual  number of days  elapsed,
including the first day but excluding the last day of the relevant period.

     3.6 Additional Costs.

     (a) In the  event  that any  applicable  law,  treaty,  rule or  regulation
(whether  domestic or  foreign)  now or  hereafter  in effect and whether or not
presently  applicable  to any  Bank  or the  Agent,  or  any  interpretation  or
administration   thereof  by  any  governmental   authority   charged  with  the
interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any Bank or the Agent
with any  directive  of any such  authority  (whether or not having the force of
law),  shall (i) affect the basis of  taxation  of  payments  to any Bank or the
Agent of any amounts  payable by any Borrower under this  Agreement  (other than
taxes  imposed  on the  overall  net  income  of the Bank or the  Agent,  by the
jurisdiction,  or by any political  subdivision or taxing  authority of any such
jurisdiction,  in which  any  Bank or the  Agent,  as the  case may be,  has its
principal office), or (ii) shall impose,  modify or deem applicable any reserve,
special deposit or similar  requirement  against assets of, deposits with or for
the account of, or credit extended by any Bank or the Agent, as the case may be,
or (iii) shall impose any other  condition with respect to this  Agreement,  the
Commitments,  the Notes or the Loans,  and the result of any of the foregoing is
to  increase  the cost to any Bank or the Agent,  as the case may be, of making,
funding  or  maintaining  any Fixed Rate Loan or to reduce the amount of any sum
receivable by any Bank or the Agent,  thereon,  then the Borrowers  shall pay to
such Bank or the Agent,  as the case may be, from time to time,  upon request by
such Bank  (with a copy of such  request  to be  provided  to the  Agent) or the
Agent,  additional  amounts  sufficient to compensate such Bank or the Agent, as
the case may be,  for such  increased  cost or  reduced  sum  receivable  to the
extent,  in the case of any Fixed Rate Loan, such Bank or the Agent, as the case
may be, is not  compensated  therefor in the  computation  of the interest  rate
applicable to such Fixed Rate Loan.  Each Bank or the Agent, as the case may be,
seeking  compensation  hereunder  shall  deliver to the  Borrowers  a  statement
setting forth (i) such  increased cost or reduced sum receivable as such Bank or
the Agent, as the case may be, has calculated in good faith,  (ii) a description
of the event giving rise thereto,  (iii) a calculation  in reasonable  detail of
the amounts  requested and (iv) a statement that such Bank or the Agent,  as the
case may be, has not  allocated to its  Commitment,  Borrowings  or  outstanding
Loans a proportionately greater amount than is attributable to each of its other
credit extensions that are affected  similarly by compliance by such Bank or the
Agent,  as the case may be,  whether or not such Bank or the Agent,  as the case
may be, allocates any portion of such amount to such other commitments or credit
extensions.  Such  statement as to the amount of such  increased cost or reduced
sum receivable,  prepared in good faith and in reasonable detail by such Bank or
the Agent,  as the case may be, and submitted by such Bank or the Agent,  as the
case may be, to the Borrowers,  shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes
absent manifest error in computation.

<PAGE>
                                       20

     (b) In the  event  that any  applicable  law,  treaty,  rule or  regulation
(whether  domestic or  foreign)  now or  hereafter  in effect and whether or not
presently  applicable  to any  Bank or the  Agent,  but  applicable  to banks or
financial  institutions  generally,  or  any  interpretation  or  administration
thereof  by any  governmental  authority  charged  with  the  interpretation  or
administration  thereof,  or  compliance  by any  Bank  or the  Agent  with  any
directive  of any such  authority  (whether  or not  having  the  force of law),
including  any  risk-based  capital  guidelines,  affects  the amount of capital
required  or  expected  to be  maintained  by  such  Bank or the  Agent  (or any
corporation  controlling  such Bank or the Agent) and such Bank or the Agent, as
the case may be,  determines  that the amount of such capital is increased by or
based upon the existence of such Bank's or the Agent's obligations hereunder and
such  increase  has the effect of reducing  the rate of return on such Bank's or
the Agent's (or such controlling corporation's) capital as a consequence of such
obligations  hereunder  to a level  below  that which such Bank or the Agent (or
such  controlling  corporation)  could have achieved but for such  circumstances
(taking into  consideration its policies with respect to capital adequacy) by an
amount deemed by such Bank or the Agent to be material, then the Borrowers shall
pay to such  Bank or the  Agent,  as the case may be,  from  time to time,  upon
request by such Bank (with a copy of such  request to be  provided to the Agent)
or the Agent, additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Bank or the Agent
(or such controlling corporation) for any reduced rate of return which such Bank
or the Agent  reasonably  determines  to be allocable  to the  existence of such
Bank's or the Agent's obligations hereunder. Each Bank or the Agent, as the case
may  be,  seeking  compensation  hereunder  shall  deliver  to the  Borrowers  a
statement  setting forth (i) such  increased  cost or reduced sum  receivable as
such Bank or the Agent, as the case may be, has calculated in good faith, (ii) a
description of the event giving rise thereto,  (iii) a calculation in reasonable
detail  of the  amounts  requested  and (iv) a  statement  that such Bank or the
Agent,  as the case may be, has not allocated to its  Commitment,  Borrowings or
outstanding Loans a proportionately  greater amount than is attributable to each
of its other credit extensions that are affected similarly by compliance by such
Bank or the Agent, as the case may be, whether or not such Bank or the Agent, as
the case may be, allocates any portion of such amount to such other  commitments
or credit  extensions.  Such  statement  as to the amount of such  compensation,
prepared in good faith and in  reasonable  detail by such Bank or the Agent,  as
the case may be, and submitted by such Bank or the Agent to the Borrowers, shall
be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error in computation.

     3.7 Illegality  and  Impossibility.  In the event that any applicable  law,
treaty,  rule or  regulation  (whether  domestic or foreign) now or hereafter in
effect  and  whether  or  not   presently   applicable   to  any  Bank,  or  any
interpretation or administration  thereof by any governmental  authority charged
with the  interpretation  or administration  thereof,  or compliance by any Bank
with any directive of such  authority  (whether or not having the force of law),
including  without  limitation  exchange  controls,  shall make it  unlawful  or
impossible  for any Bank to maintain any Fixed Rate Loan under this Agreement or
shall make it  impracticable,  unlawful or  impossible  for, or shall in any way
limit or impair the ability of, any  Borrower to make or any Bank to receive any
payment under this Agreement at the place specified for payment hereunder, or to
freely  convert any amount paid into  Dollars at market  rates of exchange or to
transfer any amount paid or so converted to the address of its principal  office
specified  in Section 8.2, the  Borrowers  shall upon receipt of notice  thereof
from such  Bank,  repay in full the then  outstanding  principal  amount of each
Fixed Rate Loan so affected,  together with all accrued  interest thereon to the
date of payment and all amounts owing to such Bank under Section 3.8, (a) on the
last day of the then current  Interest  Period  applicable  to such Loan if such
Bank may lawfully continue to maintain such Loan to such day, or (b) immediately
if such Bank may not continue to maintain such Loan to such day.
<PAGE>
                                       21

     3.8  Indemnification.  If any Borrower  makes any payment of principal with
respect  to any Loan on any other date than the last day of an  Interest  Period
applicable  thereto,  (whether  pursuant  to  Section  3.7  or  Section  6.2  or
otherwise),  or if any  Borrower  fails to borrow any Loan after notice has been
given to the Banks in accordance with Section 2.5, the Borrowers shall reimburse
each Bank on demand for any resulting net loss or expense  incurred by each such
Bank  after  giving  credit for any  earnings  or other  quantifiable  financial
benefit to such Bank from such Bank's investment or other amounts prepaid or not
reborrowed,  including  without  limitation  any  loss  incurred  in  obtaining,
liquidating or employing  deposits from third parties,  whether or not such Bank
shall have funded or  committed  to fund such Loan. A statement as to the amount
of such loss or expense, prepared in good faith and in reasonable detail by such
Bank and  submitted  by such  Bank to the  Borrowers,  shall be  conclusive  and
binding for all purposes  absent  manifest error in  computation,  provided that
before  delivery of such  statement,  each Bank shall use reasonable  efforts in
accordance  with its normal  practices and procedures to reduce amounts  payable
under this Section.  Calculation of all amounts  payable to such Bank under this
Section  3.8 shall be made as though  such Bank  shall have  actually  funded or
committed  to fund the  relevant  Loan  through the  purchase  of an  underlying
deposit  in an amount  equal to the  amount of such Loan and  having a  maturity
comparable to the related Interest Period; provided, however, that such Bank may
fund any Loan in any manner it sees fit and the  foregoing  assumption  shall be
utilized  only for the  purpose of  calculation  of amounts  payable  under this
Section 3.8.

     3.9 Right of Banks to Fund Through Other Offices. Each Bank may perform its
Commitment  to fund its pro rata share of any Loan or, with respect to the Swing
Line Bank,  any Swing Line Loan to the Borrowers by causing an affiliate of such
Bank to provide such funds in accordance with the terms of this  Agreement.  For
all purposes of this Agreement,  any amounts so advanced shall be deemed to have
been  advanced by such Bank,  and the  obligation of the Borrowers to repay such
amounts shall be as provided in this Agreement.


                                  4. ARTICLE 4.
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     Each Borrower represents and warrants to the Agent and the Banks that:

     4.1  Corporate  Existence  and  Power.  Each  Borrower  is  a  Person  duly
organized,  validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state or
other   political   subdivision  of  its   jurisdiction  of   incorporation   or
organization,  as the case may be, and is duly qualified to do business,  and is
in good standing,  in all additional  jurisdictions  where such qualification is
necessary  under  applicable  law,  except  where the failure to be so qualified
would not have a material adverse effect on the business and financial condition
of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole.  Each  Borrower  has all
requisite  corporate  power to own or lease the properties  used in its business
and to carry on its  business  as now  being  conducted  and as  proposed  to be
conducted,  and to execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which it is a party
and to engage in the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents.

     4.2 Corporate  Authority.  The execution,  delivery and performance by each
Borrower of the Loan Documents to which it is a party have been duly  authorized
by all necessary  corporate  action and are not in contravention of any material
law, rule or regulation,  or any judgment,  decree, writ,  injunction,  order or
award of any  arbitrator,  court or governmental  authority,  or of the terms of
such Borrower's  charter or by-laws,  or of any material contract or undertaking
to which the  Borrower is a party or by which the  Borrower  or its  property is
bound or  affected  and do not result in the  imposition  of any Lien except for
Permitted Liens.
<PAGE>
                                       22

     4.3 Binding  Effect.  The Loan Documents when delivered  hereunder will be,
legal, valid and binding  obligations of each Borrower party thereto enforceable
against each Borrower in accordance with their respective terms;  except as such
enforceability  may  be  limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency,   reorganization,
moratorium or other  similar laws relating to creditors'  rights and except that
the remedy of specific  performance  and injunctive and other forms of equitable
relief are subject to  equitable  defenses  and to the  discretion  of the court
before which any proceedings may be brought.

     4.4  Subsidiaries.  Schedule 4.4 hereto  correctly sets forth the corporate
name,  jurisdiction  of  incorporation  and ownership of each  Subsidiary of the
Company.  Each  Subsidiary  and each  corporation  becoming a Subsidiary  of the
Company  after the date  hereof  is and will be a  corporation  duly  organized,
validly  existing and in good  standing  under the laws of its  jurisdiction  of
incorporation  and  is and  will  be  duly  qualified  to do  business  in  each
additional  jurisdiction  where such  qualification is or may be necessary under
applicable  law,  except where the failure to be so  qualified  would not have a
material  adverse  effect on the business or financial  condition of the Company
and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

     4.5  Litigation.  Except as set forth in Schedule  4.5 hereto,  there is no
action, suit or proceeding pending or, to the best of each Borrower's knowledge,
threatened  against  or  affecting  any  Borrower  or  any of  their  respective
Subsidiaries before or by any court, governmental authority or arbitrator, which
if adversely decided would result,  either individually or collectively,  in any
material  adverse  change in the business,  properties,  operations or financial
condition  of the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  taken  as a  whole  or in any
material adverse effect on the legality,  validity or enforceability of any Loan
Document and, to the best of the Company's knowledge,  there is no basis for any
such action, suit or proceeding.

     4.6 Financial Condition.  The consolidated balance sheet of the Company and
its Subsidiaries and the consolidated  statements of income and cash flow of the
Company and its  Subsidiaries  for the fiscal year ended  December  31, 1995 and
reported on by Ernst & Young, independent certified public accountants,  and the
consolidated  balance  sheet  of  the  Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  and  the
consolidated  statements  of  income  and  cash  flow  of the  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries for the nine-month period ended September 30, 1996, copies of which
have been furnished to the Banks, fairly present,  and the financial  statements
of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  delivered  pursuant to Section 5.1(d) will
fairly  present  the  consolidated  financial  position  of the  Company and its
Subsidiaries as at the respective dates thereof, and the consolidated results of
operations  of the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  for the  respective  periods
indicated,  all in accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles
consistently applied (subject, in the case of said interim statements, to normal
year-end  adjustments).  There  has  been  no  material  adverse  change  in the
financial  condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries  taken as a whole since
December 31, 1995. There is no material Contingent Liability of the Company that
is not reflected in such financial statements or in the notes thereto.

     4.7 Use of Loans.  Each Borrower will use the proceeds of the Loans for the
Healthdyne Acquisition, including purchases of capital stock on the open market,
for other Acquisitions and for its other general corporate purposes. No Borrower
nor any of their respective  Subsidiaries extends or maintains,  in the ordinary
course of business,  credit for the purpose, whether immediate,  incidental,  or
ultimate, of buying or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U
of the Board of Governors  of the Federal  Reserve  System),  and no part of the
proceeds  of  any  Loan  will  be  used  for  the  purpose,  whether  immediate,
incidental,  or  ultimate,  of  buying  or  carrying  any such  margin  stock or
maintaining or extending  credit to others for such purpose.  After applying the
proceeds of each Loan,  such margin stock will not  constitute  more than 25% of
the value of the assets  (either of any Borrower  alone or of the  Borrowers and
their respective  Subsidiaries on a consolidated  basis) that are subject to any
provisions  of this  Agreement  that may cause  the Loans to be deemed  secured,
directly or indirectly, by margin stock.
<PAGE>
                                       23

     4.8 Consents,  Etc.  Except for such consents,  approvals,  authorizations,
declarations,  registrations  or filings  delivered  by the Company  pursuant to
Section 2.6(g),  if any, each of which is in full force and effect,  no consent,
approval or  authorization  of or  declaration,  registration or filing with any
governmental  authority  or  any  nongovernmental   person,   including  without
limitation any creditor,  lessor or stockholder of any Borrower,  is required on
the  part of any  Borrower  in  connection  with  the  execution,  delivery  and
performance of the Loan Documents or the transactions  contemplated hereby or as
a condition to the legality,  validity or  enforceability  of the Loan Documents
except  where the failure to obtain such  consents,  approvals,  authorizations,
declarations,  registrations or filings would not have a material adverse effect
on the Company and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole.  4.9 Taxes. The Company
has filed all material  tax returns  (federal,  state and local)  required to be
filed and have paid all taxes shown  thereon to be due,  including  interest and
penalties,  or have established  adequate financial reserves on their respective
books and  records  for payment  thereof  except  where the failure to file such
returns,  pay such taxes or establish  such  reserves  would not have a material
adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

     4.10  Title to  Properties.  Except as  otherwise  disclosed  in the latest
balance sheet delivered  pursuant to this Agreement,  the Company or one or more
of its Subsidiaries have good and marketable fee simple title to all of the real
property to the best of the Company's  knowledge  absent manifest  error,  and a
valid and  indefeasible  ownership  interest in all of the other  properties and
assets  reflected in said balance sheet or subsequently  acquired by the Company
or any such  Subsidiary  material to the business or financial  condition of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole,  except for title defects that do
not have a material  adverse effect.  All of such properties and assets are free
and clear of any Lien, except for Permitted Liens.

     4.11 ERISA.  The  Borrowers,  their  respective  Subsidiaries,  their ERISA
Affiliates  and their  respective  Plans are in  substantial  compliance  in all
material  respects  with  those  provisions  of ERISA and of the Code  which are
applicable with respect to any Plan. No Prohibited Transaction and no Reportable
Event has  occurred  with respect to any such Plan which would cause an Event of
Default.  No Borrower,  any of their  respective  Subsidiaries  nor any of their
ERISA  Affiliates is an employer  with respect to any  Multiemployer  Plan.  The
Borrowers, their respective Subsidiaries and their ERISA Affiliates have met the
minimum  funding  requirements  under ERISA and the Code with respect to each of
their respective Plans, if any, and have not incurred any liability to the PBGC,
other than premiums which are not yet due and payable.  The execution,  delivery
and  performance  of  the  Loan  Documents  does  not  constitute  a  Prohibited
Transaction.  There is no material  unfunded  benefit  liability,  determined in
accordance  with Section  4001(a)(18) of ERISA,  with respect to any Plan of any
Borrower, their respective Subsidiaries or their ERISA Affiliates.

<PAGE>
                                       24

     4.12  Environmental  and Safety  Matters.  Except as  disclosed on Schedule
4.12,  each  Borrower and each  Subsidiary  of each  Borrower is in  substantial
compliance  with all  material  federal,  state and local laws,  ordinances  and
regulations  relating to safety and industrial  hygiene or to the  environmental
condition,  including  without  limitation  all material  Environmental  Laws in
jurisdictions in which any Borrower or any such Subsidiary owns or operates,  or
has owned or  operated,  a facility or site,  or arranges  or has  arranged  for
disposal or treatment of hazardous  substances,  solid waste,  or other  wastes,
accepts or has accepted for transport any hazardous substances,  solid wastes or
other  wastes or holds or has held any interest in real  property or  otherwise.
Except as disclosed on Schedule 4.12, no written demand,  claim,  notice,  suit,
suit in equity, action,  administrative action, investigation or inquiry whether
brought by any  governmental  authority,  private  person or otherwise,  arising
under,  relating to or in connection with any Environmental  Laws is pending or,
to the best of each Borrower's knowledge, threatened against any Borrower or any
such Subsidiary,  any real property in which any Borrower or any such Subsidiary
holds or has held an interest or any past or present  operation  of any Borrower
or any such Subsidiary which would have a material adverse effect on the Company
and its Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole. Neither any Borrower nor any Subsidiary
of any  Borrower  (a) is the  subject  of any  federal  or  state  investigation
evaluating  whether any remedial action is needed to respond to a release of any
toxic substances,  radioactive materials,  hazardous wastes or related materials
into the  environment,  or (b) has received any notice of any toxic  substances,
radioactive  materials,  hazardous waste or related materials in, or upon any of
its  properties  in  violation  of any  Environmental  Laws.  As to such matters
disclosed  on Schedule  4.12,  none will have a material  adverse  effect on the
financial  condition or business of the Company and its Subsidiaries  taken as a
whole.  Except as set forth on  Schedule  4.12,  to the best of each  Borrower's
knowledge, no release,  threatened release or disposal of hazardous waste, solid
waste or other  wastes is  occurring  or has  occurred  on, under or to any real
property in which any Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries holds any
interest or performs any of its  operations,  in violation of any  Environmental
Law.

     4.13  No  Material  Adverse  Change.  Neither  the  Company  nor any of its
Subsidiaries  has received any notice,  citation or  communication of the nature
referred to in Section 5.1(d)(i), except in respect of such matters as have been
or are being  remediated  in all  material  respects or are being  contested  or
remediated in good faith, and, in the case of any such matter being so contested
or remediated, and as of the date of this Agreement,  adequate provision for all
material  costs of any  remediation  is  reflected in the  financial  statements
referred to in Section 4.6 of this Agreement, and in respect of any such notice,
citation or  communication  received after the date of this  Agreement,  will be
reflected in the subsequent  financial statements furnished to the Agent and the
Banks pursuant to Sections 5.1(d)(ii) and 5.1(d)(iii).

     4.14  Healthdyne   Acquisition.   Simultaneously  with  any  Loan  for  the
Healthdyne Acquisition, all transactions contemplated pursuant to the Healthdyne
Acquisition  Document to consummate the Healthdyne  Acquisition will be complete
in  accordance  therewith  and  in  accordance  with  all  applicable  laws  and
regulations.   All  governmental  and  non-governmental   consents,   approvals,
authorizations,  declarations,  registrations and filings required in connection
with the Healthdyne  Acquisition or otherwise in connection  with the Healthdyne
Acquisition Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby or as a condition
to the legality, validity or enforceability of the Healthdyne Acquisition or the
Healthdyne  Acquisition  Documents  have been obtained and are in full force and
effect.

<PAGE>
                                       25

                                  5. ARTICLE 5.
                                    COVENANTS

     5.1 Affirmative  Covenants.  Each Borrower covenants and agrees that, until
the Termination  Date and thereafter  until  irrevocable  payment in full of the
principal of and accrued  interest on the Notes and the performance of all other
obligations  of the Borrowers  under this  Agreement,  unless the Required Banks
shall  otherwise  consent  in  writing,  it shall,  and shall  cause each of its
Subsidiaries to:

     (a)  Preservation of Corporate  Existence,  Etc. Do or cause to be done all
things necessary to preserve,  renew and keep in full force and effect its legal
existence,   except  to  the  extent  permitted  by  Section  5.2(h),   and  its
qualification as a foreign  corporation in good standing in each jurisdiction in
which such  qualification  is necessary  under  applicable law, other than where
failure to so qualify will not have a material adverse effect on the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

     (b) Compliance  with Laws,  Etc.  Comply in all material  respects with all
applicable laws,  rules,  regulations and orders of any governmental  authority,
whether federal,  state,  local or foreign  (including without limitation ERISA,
the Code and  Environmental  Laws),  in effect  from  time to time;  and pay and
discharge promptly when due all taxes,  assessments and governmental  charges or
levies imposed upon it or upon its income, revenues or property, before the same
shall become  delinquent or in default,  as well as all lawful claims for labor,
materials and supplies or otherwise,  which, if unpaid, might give rise to Liens
upon such properties or any portion  thereof,  except to the extent that payment
of any of the  foregoing is then being  contested  in good faith by  appropriate
legal proceedings,  and except where failure to comply would not have a material
adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

     (c) Maintenance of Properties;  Insurance.  Maintain,  preserve and protect
all property  that is material to the conduct of the business of any Borrower or
any of their  respective  Subsidiaries  and keep such  property in good  repair,
working  order and condition and from time to time make, or cause to be made all
needful and proper repairs, renewals,  additions,  improvements and replacements
thereto necessary in order that the business carried on in connection  therewith
may be properly  conducted at all times in accordance with customary and prudent
business  practices  for  similar  businesses;  and,  maintain in full force and
effect  insurance  with  responsible  and  reputable   insurance   companies  or
associations  in such  amounts,  on such terms and  covering  such risks,  as is
usually  carried by companies  engaged in similar  businesses and owning similar
properties  similarly  situated  and  maintain  in full force and effect  public
liability  insurance,  insurance  against claims for personal injury or death or
property  damage  occurring  in  connection  with any of its  activities  or any
properties  owned,  occupied  or  controlled  by it, in such  amount as it shall
reasonably deem necessary.

     (d)  Reporting  Requirements.  Furnish  to the  Banks  and  the  Agent  the
following:

     (i)  Promptly  and in any event within five  calendar  days after  becoming
aware of the  occurrence  of (A) any Event of  Default  or  Default,  or (B) the
commencement of any material litigation against, by or affecting any Borrower or
any of their  respective  Subsidiaries  which the  Company  would be required to
report to the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  a statement  of the chief
financial  officer of the Company setting forth details of such Event of Default
or  Default  or such  litigation  and the action  which  such  Borrower  or such
Subsidiary,  as the case may be,  has taken and  proposes  to take with  respect
thereto;
<PAGE>
                                       26

     (ii) As soon as available  and in any event within 50 days after the end of
each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company,  the
consolidated  balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of
such quarter,  and the related  consolidated  statements of income and cash flow
for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with
the end of such  quarter,  setting  forth in each case in  comparative  form the
corresponding  figures  for the  corresponding  date or period of the  preceding
fiscal year,  all in  reasonable  detail and duly  certified  (subject to normal
year-end  adjustments) by the chief  financial  officer of the Company as having
been prepared in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles,
together  with a  certificate  of the chief  financial  officer  of the  Company
stating (A) that no Event of Default or Default has occurred  and is  continuing
or,  if an Event of  Default  or  Default  has  occurred  and is  continuing,  a
statement setting forth the details thereof and the action which the Company has
taken and  proposes to take with  respect  thereto,  and (B) that a  computation
(which  computation  shall accompany such certificate and shall be in reasonable
detail)  showing  compliance  with  Section  5.2(a),  (b) and (c)  hereof  is in
conformity with the terms of this Agreement;

     (iii) As soon as available and in any event within 90 days after the end of
each fiscal year of the Company, a copy of the consolidated balance sheet of the
Company and its  Subsidiaries  as of the end of such fiscal year and the related
consolidated  statements  of  income  and  cash  flow  of the  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries  for such fiscal  year,  with a customary  audit  report of Ernst &
Young, or other independent certified public accountants selected by the Company
and acceptable to the Required Banks, without qualifications unacceptable to the
Required  Banks,  together  with  (A)  either  (I) a  written  statement  of the
accountants that is making the examination necessary for their report or opinion
they obtained no knowledge of the  occurrence of any Default or Event of Default
under this  Agreement  or (II) if they know of any  Default or Event of Default,
their  written  disclosure  of  its  nature  and  status,   provided  that,  the
accountants shall not be liable directly or indirectly to anyone for any failure
to obtain knowledge of any Default or Event of Default under this Agreement, and
(B) a certificate of the chief financial officer of the Company stating (I) that
no Event of Default or Default has occurred and is continuing or, if an Event of
Default or Default has occurred and is continuing, a statement setting forth the
details  thereof and the action which the Company has taken and proposes to take
with respect  thereto,  and (II) that a  computation  (which  computation  shall
accompany such certificate and shall be in reasonable detail) showing compliance
with Section 5.2(a),  (b) and (c) hereof is in conformity with the terms of this
Agreement;  (iv)  Promptly  after the sending or filing  thereof,  copies of all
reports, proxy statements and financial statements which the Company sends to or
files with any of their respective  security holders or any securities  exchange
or the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency thereof;

     (v) Promptly and in any event  within 10 calendar  days after  receiving or
becoming  aware thereof (A) a copy of any notice of intent to terminate any Plan
of any Borrower, their respective Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate filed with
the PBGC,  (B) a  statement  of the chief  financial  officer  of such  Borrower
setting forth the details of the occurrence of any Reportable Event with respect
to any such  Plan,  (C) a copy of any  notice  that any  Borrower,  any of their
respective  Subsidiaries  or any  ERISA  Affiliate  may  receive  from  the PBGC
relating to the intention of the PBGC to terminate any such Plan or to appoint a
trustee to  administer  any such Plan, or (D) a copy of any notice of failure to
make a required  installment  or other  payment  within  the  meaning of Section
412(n) of the Code or Section 302(f) of ERISA with respect to any such Plan;
<PAGE>
                                       27

     (vi) Promptly and in any event within 14 days after the Merger,  a schedule
listing all Indebtedness of Healthdyne  assumed by the Company or any Subsidiary
in connection with the Merger;

     (vii) Promptly,  any amendment or modification to any Acquisition  Document
after the Effective Date, subject to the satisfactory review of the Agent; and

     (viii)   Promptly,   such  other   information   respecting  the  business,
properties,  operations or condition, financial or otherwise, of any Borrower or
any of their  respective  Subsidiaries as any Bank or the Agent may from time to
time reasonably request.

     (e)  Accounting;  Access  to  Records,  Books,  Etc.  Maintain  a system of
accounting  established  and  administered  in  accordance  with sound  business
practices to permit  preparation  of financial  statements  in  accordance  with
generally accepted accounting  principles and to comply with the requirements of
this Agreement and, on and after an Event of Default, at any reasonable time and
from time to time with prior notice to the Company, permit any Bank or the Agent
or any  agents or  representatives  thereof to  examine  and make  copies of and
abstracts from the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of,
the Borrowers  and their  respective  Subsidiaries,  and to discuss the affairs,
finances and accounts of the Borrowers and their  respective  Subsidiaries  with
their  respective  directors,  officers,  employees  and  independent  auditors,
provided that representatives of the Company selected by the Company are present
during any such visit or  discussion,  and by this  provision  the Company  does
hereby  authorize  such persons to discuss such  affairs,  finances and accounts
with any Bank or the Agent subject to the above terms and conditions.

     (f) Stamp Taxes. The Company will pay all stamp taxes and similar taxes, if
any, including interest and penalties,  if any, payable in respect of the Notes.
The efficacy of this subsection shall survive the payment in full of the Notes.

     (g) Proceeds from Equity Offering.  If the aggregate  outstanding principal
amount of Loans  hereunder  exceeds  $100,000,000 at the time of any issuance or
other sale of capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company shall,
or shall cause any such  Subsidiary  to,  prepay the Loans by an amount equal to
the lesser of (i) 50% of the Net Cash  Proceeds  from any such issuance or sale,
or (ii) an amount equal to the amount by which the outstanding principal balance
of the Loans at the time of such issuance or sale exceeds $100,000,000.

     (h) Further  Assurances.  Will  execute  and  deliver  within 30 days after
request therefor by the Required Banks or the Agent, all further instruments and
documents and take all further  action that may be  necessary,  in order to give
effect to, and to aid in the exercise and enforcement of the rights and remedies
of the Banks and the Agent under, this Agreement and the Notes. In addition, the
Company agrees to promptly  notify the Agent of any person becoming a Subsidiary
of the Company or any Guarantor  after the  Effective  Date and, upon request of
the Agent, cause such new Subsidiary to execute and deliver to the Banks and the
Agent, a Guaranty together with other related documents described in Section 2.6
and requested by the Agent.

     5.2 Negative  Covenants.  Until the Termination  Date and thereafter  until
irrevocable  payment in full of the  principal  of and  accrued  interest on the
Notes and the  performance of all other  obligations of each Borrower under this
Agreement,  the Company agrees that,  unless the Required Banks shall  otherwise
consent in writing it shall not:

<PAGE>
                                       28

     (a) Interest  Coverage Ratio.  Permit or suffer the Interest Coverage Ratio
to be less than (i) during any quarter in which the ratio of Consolidated Funded
Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries to Consolidated Total Capitalization of
the Company and its Subsidiaries is greater than 0.58 to 1.00 but less than 0.68
to 1.00,  2.25 to 1.0 and (ii) at all  other  times,  3.0 to 1.0;  in each  case
calculated  as of the end of  each  fiscal  quarter  for  the  four  immediately
preceding fiscal quarters.

     (b) Net Worth.  Permit or suffer  Consolidated Net Worth of the Company and
its Subsidiaries at any time to be less than (i)  $200,000,000  plus (ii) 50% of
the  Consolidated Net Income of the Company and its Subsidiaries for each fiscal
year of the Company,  commencing  on (A) if the Merger  occurs or the  aggregate
amount of Loans outstanding  hereunder exceed $100,000,000 on or before December
31, 1997, in either case,  the fiscal year ending  December 31, 1997;  provided,
that,  the  Company  shall not be  required  to  include  any net  income of the
Company,  its Subsidiaries or Healthdyne prior to the Merger or (B) in any other
case,  the  fiscal  year  ending  December  31,  1998,  provided  that,  if such
Consolidated  Net Income is negative for any fiscal year,  then the amount added
for such fiscal year shall be zero and shall not reduce the amount added for any
other fiscal year.

     (c)  Funded  Debt to Total  Capitalization.  Permit or suffer  the ratio of
Consolidated  Funded Debt of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  to  Consolidated
Total Capitalization of the Company and its Subsidiaries to exceed .68 to 1.0 at
any time, decreasing to .65 to 1.0. on the earlier of (A) the date which is nine
(9)  months  after  the date of the  Merger,  or (B) the date  which is nine (9)
months  after  the date on  which  the  aggregate  amount  of Loans  outstanding
hereunder exceed $100,000,000.

     (d) Liens.  Create, incur or suffer to exist any Lien on any of the assets,
rights,  revenues or property,  real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible,
whether  now  owned  or  hereafter  acquired,  of  the  Company  or  any  of its
Subsidiaries, other than:

     (i) Liens for taxes not  delinquent  or for taxes being  contested  in good
faith by appropriate  proceedings  and as to which adequate  financial  reserves
have been established on its books and records;

     (ii) Liens (other than any Lien imposed by ERISA) created and maintained in
the ordinary  course of business  which are not material in the  aggregate,  and
which would not have a material  adverse effect on the business or operations of
the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole and which  constitute  (A)
pledges or deposits under worker's  compensation  laws,  unemployment  insurance
laws or similar  legislation,  (B) good faith deposits in connection  with bids,
tenders,  contracts or leases to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
a party for a purpose other than borrowing money or obtaining credit,  including
rent  security  deposits,  (C) liens  imposed by law, such as those of carriers,
warehousemen and mechanics,  if payment of the obligation secured thereby is not
yet due, (D) Liens securing taxes,  assessments or other governmental charges or
levies not yet subject to penalties for nonpayment,  and (E) pledges or deposits
to  secure  public  or  statutory  obligations  of  the  Company  or  any of its
Subsidiaries,  or surety, customs or appeal bonds to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is a party;

     (iii)  Liens  affecting  real  property  which   constitute   minor  survey
exceptions or defects or irregularities in title, minor encumbrances,  easements
or  reservations  of, or rights of others for, rights of way,  sewers,  electric
lines,  telegraph and telephone lines and other similar  purposes,  or zoning or
other restrictions as to the use of such real property, provided that all of the
foregoing,  in the  aggregate,  do not at any time  materially  detract from the
value of said properties or materially  impair their use in the operation of the
businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole;
<PAGE>
                                       29

     (iv)  Liens  existing  on the date  hereof  upon the same terms as the date
hereof, but no extensions, renewals and replacements thereof shall be permitted,
with each existing Lien securing  Indebtedness in excess of $5,000,000 described
in Schedule 5.2 hereto;

     (v) Liens  granted by any  Subsidiary  in favor of the Company or any other
Subsidiary;

     (vi) The interest or title of a lessor under any lease otherwise  permitted
under this Agreement  with respect to the property  subject to such lease to the
extent  performance  of  the  obligations  of  the  Company  or  its  Subsidiary
thereunder is not delinquent;

     (vii)  Liens  assumed  by the  Company or any  Subsidiary  on the assets of
Healthdyne in connection with the Healthdyne Acquisition; and

     (viii)  Liens,  other than Liens  described  in clauses (i)  through  (vii)
above,  securing  Indebtedness  in an  aggregate  amount  not to  exceed  10% of
Consolidated Net Worth.

     (e) Merger;  Etc. Merge or consolidate or amalgamate  with any other person
or take any other  action  having a similar  effect,  provided,  however,  (i) a
Subsidiary of the Company may merge with the Company,  provided that the Company
shall be the surviving  corporation,  (ii) a Subsidiary of the Company may merge
or  consolidate  with another  Subsidiary  of the Company and (iii) this Section
5.2(e) shall not prohibit  any merger if the Company  shall be the  surviving or
continuing  corporation and,  immediately after such merger, no Default or Event
of Default shall exist or shall have occurred and be continuing.

     (f) Disposition of Assets; Etc. Sell, lease, license,  transfer,  assign or
otherwise  dispose  of all or a  substantial  portion of its  business,  assets,
rights,  revenues or property,  real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible,
whether in one or a series of  transactions,  other than  inventory  sold in the
ordinary  course of business upon  customary  credit terms and sales of scrap or
obsolete  material or equipment,  provided,  however,  that this Section  5.2(f)
shall not prohibit (i) any sale of the receivable  portfolio of Invacare  Credit
Corporation, a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company; provided, however, if the
aggregate   outstanding   principal  amount  of  the  Loans  hereunder   exceeds
$100,000,000 at the time of any such sale, the Company shall prepay the Loans by
an  amount  equal to the  lesser of (A) 50% of the Net Cash  Proceeds  from such
sale,  or (B) an amount equal to the amount by which the  outstanding  principal
balance of the Loans at the time of such issuance or sale exceeds  $100,000,000;
or (ii) any such sale, lease, license, transfer, assignment or other disposition
if the aggregate  book value  (disregarding  any  write-downs of such book value
other than  ordinary  depreciation  and  amortization)  of all of the  business,
assets,  rights,  revenues  and  property  disposed  of  after  the date of this
Agreement  shall be less than 33% of the  Consolidated  Net Worth of the Company
and its Subsidiaries,  and if immediately after such transaction,  no Default or
Event of Default shall exist or shall have occurred and be continuing.

     (g) Nature of Business. Engage in any business if, as a result, the general
nature of the  business,  taken on a  consolidated  basis,  which  would then be
engaged in by the Company and its Subsidiaries  would be  substantially  changed
from the  general  nature of the  business  engaged  in by the  Company  and its
Subsidiaries  on the date of this Agreement  which is the  manufacture,  sale or
lease of home medical and extended care equipment and related products.
<PAGE>
                                       30

     (h) Healthdyne Minority Interest. Maintain an equity interest in Healthdyne
in an amount greater than 10% but less than 51% after the Company has ceased and
abandoned plans to acquire a majority equity interest in Healthdyne.

     (i) Negative Pledge Limitation.  Enter into any agreement, with any person,
other than the Banks  pursuant  hereto and under the 1994 Loan  Agrement,  which
prohibits  or limits the  ability of any  Borrower or any  Guarantor  to create,
incur,  assume  or suffer  to exist  any Lien  upon any of its  assets,  rights,
revenues or property,  real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible,  whether
now owned or hereafter acquired,  other than agreements evidencing  Indebtedness
in an  aggregate  amount less than  $5,000,000  or any  Indebtedness  assumed in
connection  with any  Acquisition,  but no  extension or renewal of such assumed
Indebtedness containing such restriction shall be permitted.


                                  6. ARTICLE 6.
                                     DEFAULT

     6.1 Events of Default. The occurrence of any one of the following events or
conditions shall be deemed an "Event of Default"  hereunder unless waived by the
Required Banks or the Banks, as required pursuant to Section 8.1:

     (a)  Nonpayment of Principal.  Any Borrower  shall fail to pay when due any
principal of the Notes and such failure shall remain  unremedied  for five days;
or

     (b)  Nonpayment  of Interest.  Any Borrower  shall fail to pay when due any
interest or any fees or any other  amount  payable  hereunder  and such  failure
shall remain unremedied for five days; or

     (c) Misrepresentation.  Any representation or warranty made by any Borrower
in  Article 4 hereof,  or by any  Borrower  or any  Guarantor  in any other Loan
Document or any other certificate, report, financial statement or other document
furnished by or on behalf of any Borrower or any  Guarantor in  connection  with
this Agreement  shall prove to have been incorrect in any material  respect when
made or deemed made; or

     (d) Certain  Covenants.  Any Borrower  shall fail to perform or observe any
term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 5.2(a), (e) or (f) hereof; or

     (e) Other Defaults. Any Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any other
term,  covenant  or  agreement  contained  in this  Agreement  or any other Loan
Document, and any such failure shall remain unremedied for 30 calendar days; or

     (f) Cross  Default.  Any Borrower or any of their  respective  Subsidiaries
shall fail to pay any part of the  principal  of, the  premium,  if any,  or the
interest  on, or any other  payment  of money due under any of its  Indebtedness
(other than  Indebtedness  hereunder),  beyond any period of grace provided with
respect thereto,  which individually or together with other such Indebtedness as
to which any such failure exists has an aggregate  outstanding  principal amount
in excess of $5,000,000; or any Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries
shall fail to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained
in any  agreement,  document  or  instrument  evidencing  or  securing  any such
Indebtedness having such aggregate  outstanding principal amount, or under which
any such Indebtedness was issued or created, beyond any period of grace, if any,
provided  with respect  thereto and such  Borrower or such  Subsidiary  has been
notified by the creditor of such default;  and the effect of any such failure is
either (i) to cause, or permit the holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee on
behalf of such holders) to cause, any payment of such Indebtedness to become due
prior to its due date or (ii) to permit the holders of such  Indebtedness  (or a
trustee on behalf of such holders) to elect a majority of the board of directors
of the Company; or

<PAGE>
                                       31

     (g) Judgments. One or more judgments or orders shall be rendered against or
shall affect any Borrower or any of their respective  Subsidiaries  which causes
or could  cause a material  adverse  change in the  financial  condition  of the
Company  and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole or which  does or could  have a
material adverse effect on the legality,  validity or enforceability of any Loan
Document,  and either (i) such judgment or order shall have remained unsatisfied
or uninsured for a period of 21 days and such Borrower or such Subsidiary  shall
not have taken action necessary to stay enforcement thereof by reason of pending
appeal  or  otherwise,  prior to the  expiration  of the  applicable  period  of
limitations  for taking such action or, if such action shall have been taken,  a
final order  denying  such stay shall have been  rendered,  or (ii)  enforcement
proceedings  shall have been commenced by any creditor upon any such judgment or
order; or

     (h) ERISA.  The  occurrence of a Reportable  Event that results in or could
result in material liability of any Borrower,  any Subsidiary of any Borrower or
their ERISA  Affiliates to the PBGC or to any Plan and such Reportable  Event is
not  corrected  within  thirty (30) days after the  occurrence  thereof;  or the
occurrence  of  any  Reportable  Event  which  could   constitute   grounds  for
termination of any Plan of any Borrower,  their respective Subsidiaries or their
ERISA  Affiliates by the PBGC or for the appointment by the  appropriate  United
States  District  Court  of a  trustee  to  administer  any  such  Plan and such
Reportable  Event is not corrected  within thirty (30) days after the occurrence
thereof; or the filing by any Borrower, any Subsidiary of any Borrower or any of
their  ERISA  Affiliates  of a  notice  of  intent  to  terminate  a Plan or the
institution  of other  proceedings  to terminate a Plan;  or any  Borrower,  any
Subsidiary  of any Borrower or any of their ERISA  Affiliates  shall fail to pay
when due any material liability to the PBGC or to a Plan; or the PBGC shall have
instituted  proceedings  to terminate,  or to cause a trustee to be appointed to
administer,  any Plan of any Borrower,  their  respective  Subsidiaries or their
ERISA Affiliates; or any person engages in a Prohibited Transaction with respect
to any Plan which  results in or could  result in material  liability of the any
Borrower,  any Subsidiary of any Borrower,  any of their ERISA  Affiliates,  any
Plan of any Borrower, their respective Subsidiaries or their ERISA Affiliates or
fiduciary of any such Plan;  or failure by any Borrower,  any  Subsidiary of any
Borrower  or any of their ERISA  Affiliates  to make a required  installment  or
other  payment  to any Plan  within the  meaning  of Section  302(f) of ERISA or
Section  412(n) of the Code that  results in or could result in liability of any
Borrower, any Subsidiary of any Borrower or any of their ERISA Affiliates to the
PBGC or any Plan; or the  withdrawal of any  Borrower,  any of their  respective
Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA  Affiliates from a Plan during a plan year in
which it was a  "substantial  employer"  as defined in  Section  4001(9a)(2)  of
ERISA;  or any Borrower,  any of their  respective  Subsidiaries or any of their
ERISA  Affiliates  becomes an employer  with respect to any  Multiemployer  Plan
without the prior written consent of the Required Banks; or
<PAGE>
                                       32

     (i) Insolvency,  Etc. Any Borrower shall be dissolved or liquidated (or any
judgment,  order or decree  therefor  shall be  entered),  except  as  otherwise
provided  pursuant to Section  5.2(e),  or any Borrower or any  Guarantor  shall
generally  not pay its debts as they  become  due, or shall admit in writing its
inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the
benefit of creditors,  or shall institute,  or there shall be instituted against
any Borrower or any Guarantor, any proceeding or case seeking to adjudicate it a
bankrupt  or  insolvent  or seeking  liquidation,  winding  up,  reorganization,
arrangement,  adjustment,  protection,  relief or composition of it or its debts
under any law relating to bankruptcy,  insolvency or reorganization or relief or
protection  of  debtors  or  seeking  the entry of an order for  relief,  or the
appointment of a receiver,  trustee,  custodian or other similar official for it
or for any substantial part of its assets, rights, revenues or property, and, if
such proceeding is instituted against any Borrower or any Guarantor and is being
contested  by such  Borrower  or such  Guarantor  in good  faith by  appropriate
proceedings,  such proceeding shall remain  undismissed or unstayed for a period
of 60 days; or any Borrower or any Guarantor shall take any action (corporate or
other) to  authorize  or  further  any of the  actions  described  above in this
subsection; provided, however, that none of the foregoing acts or occurrences in
this Section 6.1(i) with respect to any Borrowing Subsidiary shall constitute an
Event of Default  so long as there are no Loans  outstanding  to such  Borrowing
Subsidiary at the time of such act or occurrence, provided, that, the Commitment
of the Banks to such Borrowing Subsidiary shall automatically  terminate without
notice; or

     (j) Change of Control.  The Company  shall  experience a Change of Control.
For purposes of this Section 6.1(j), a "Change of Control" shall occur if during
any  twelve-month  period (i) any person or group of persons (within the meaning
of Section 13 or 14 of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended)  shall
have acquired beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13D-3 promulgated
by the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  under said Act) of 50% or more in
voting power of the voting shares of the Company that were outstanding as of the
date of this  Agreement  and (ii) a majority  of the board of  directors  of the
Company  shall cease for any reason to consist of  individuals  who as of a date
twelve months prior to any date compliance herewith is determined were directors
of the Company; or

     (k) 1994 Loan Agreement. The occurrence of any Event of Default (as defined
in the 1994 Loan Agreement) under the 1994 Loan Agreement.

     6.2 Remedies.

     (a) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default,
the Agent may and, upon being directed to do so by the Required Banks,  shall by
notice  to the  Company  (i)  terminate  the  Commitments  or (ii)  declare  the
outstanding  principal  of,  and  accrued  interest  on, the Notes and all other
amounts owing under this Agreement to be immediately due and payable, or any one
or more of the foregoing,  whereupon the Commitments  shall terminate  forthwith
and all such amounts,  including cash collateral,  shall become  immediately due
and payable,  provided  that in the case of any event or condition  described in
Section 6.1(i) with respect to any Borrower, the Commitments shall automatically
terminate forthwith and all such amounts shall automatically  become immediately
due and  payable  without  notice;  in all cases  without  demand,  presentment,
protest,  diligence,  notice of  dishonor or other  formality,  all of which are
hereby expressly waived.

<PAGE>
                                       33

     (b) The Agent may and, upon being directed to do so by the Required  Banks,
shall,  in addition to the  remedies  provided in Section  6.2(a),  exercise and
enforce  any and all other  rights and  remedies  available  to it or the Banks,
whether arising under this Agreement,  the Notes or under applicable law, in any
manner deemed appropriate by the Agent, including suit in equity, action at law,
or other appropriate  proceedings,  whether for the specific performance (to the
extent  permitted  by  law)  of any  covenant  or  agreement  contained  in this
Agreement or in the Notes or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this
Agreement or the Notes.

     (c) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default,
each Bank may at any time and from time to time  exercise  any of its  rights of
set off or bankers  lien that it may  possess  by common law or statute  without
prior notice to the Borrowers,  provided that each Bank may also set off against
any  deposit  whether or not it is then  matured.  Each Bank  agrees to promptly
notify the Company  after any such  setoff and  application,  provided  that the
failure to give such  notice  shall not effect the  validity  of such setoff and
application.  The rights of such Bank under this Section  6.2(c) are in addition
to other rights and remedies which such Bank may have.


                                  7. ARTICLE 7.
                             THE AGENT AND THE BANKS

     7.1 Appointment and Authorization.  Each Bank hereby  irrevocably  appoints
and  authorizes  the Agent to take such  action  as agent on its  behalf  and to
exercise such powers under this  Agreement and the Notes as are delegated to the
Agent by the  terms  hereof or  thereof,  together  with all such  powers as are
reasonably  incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article 7 are solely for
the  benefit of the Agent and the Banks,  and the  Borrowers  shall not have any
rights  as a  third  party  beneficiary  of  any of the  provisions  hereof.  In
performing  its functions and duties under this  Agreement,  the Agent shall act
solely as agent of the Banks and does not assume and shall not be deemed to have
assumed any obligation  towards or  relationship  of agency or trust with or for
the Borrowers.

     7.2 Agent and  Affiliates.  FNBC, an Affiliate of NBD Bank, in its capacity
as a Bank hereunder shall have the same rights and powers hereunder as any other
Bank and may  exercise  or  refrain  from  exercising  the same as  though  its'
Affiliate were not the Agent.  FNBC and its affiliates,  including NBD Bank, may
(without  having to account  therefor to any Bank) accept  deposits  from,  lend
money to, and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial advisory
or other  business with any Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Borrower as if its
Affiliate  were not acting as Agent  hereunder,  and may  accept  fees and other
consideration therefor without having to account for the same to the Banks.

     7.3  Scope  of  Agent's   Duties.   The  Agent  shall  have  no  duties  or
responsibilities  except those  expressly  set forth  herein,  and shall not, by
reason of this Agreement,  have a fiduciary  relationship  with any Bank, and no
implied covenants, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be
read into this Agreement or shall  otherwise  exist against the Agent. As to any
matters  not  expressly  provided  for by  this  Agreement  (including,  without
limitation, collection and enforcement actions under the Notes), the Agent shall
not be required to exercise  any  discretion  or take any action,  but the Agent
shall  take  such  action or omit to take any  action  pursuant  to the  written
instructions  of the  Required  Banks  and may  request  instructions  from  the
Required Banks. The Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in
refraining  from acting,  pursuant to the written  instructions  of the Required
Banks,  which  instructions and any action or omission pursuant thereto shall be
binding upon all of the Banks;  provided,  however,  that the Agent shall not be
required to act or omit to act if, in the judgment of the Agent,  such action or
omission  may expose the Agent to  personal  liability  or is  contrary  to this
Agreement, the Notes or applicable law.

<PAGE>
                                       34

     7.4  Reliance  by  Agent.  The  Agent  shall be  entitled  to rely upon any
certificate,  notice,  document  or other  communication  (including  any cable,
telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or oral communication) believed by it to
be  genuine  and  correct  and to have  been  sent or given by or on behalf of a
proper  person.  The Agent may treat the payee of any Note as the holder thereof
unless and until the Agent receives  written  notice of the  assignment  thereof
pursuant  to the  terms of this  Agreement  signed  by such  payee and the Agent
receives  the written  agreement  of the  assignee  that such  assignee is bound
hereby to the same extent as if it had been an original party hereto.  The Agent
may employ  agents  (including  without  limitation  collateral  agents) and may
consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the  Borrowers),  independent
public  accountants and other experts  selected by it and shall not be liable to
the  Banks,  except as to money or  property  received  by it or its  authorized
agents,  for the  negligence or misconduct of any such agent selected by it with
reasonable  care or for any  action  taken or  omitted to be taken by it in good
faith in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts.

     7.5  Default.  The  Agent  shall not be  deemed  to have  knowledge  of the
occurrence  of any  Default or Event of Default,  unless the Agent has  received
written  notice from a Bank or a Borrower  specifying  such  Default or Event of
Default and stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default". In the event that
the Agent receives such a notice, the Agent shall give written notice thereof to
the Banks.

     7.6  Liability  of  Agent.  Neither  the  Agent  nor any of its  directors,
officers, agents, or employees shall be liable to the Banks for any action taken
or not taken by it or them in  connection  herewith  with the  consent or at the
request  of the  Required  Banks or in the  absence  of its or their  own  gross
negligence or willful  misconduct.  Except for duties expressly  accepted by the
Agent hereunder, neither the Agent nor any of its directors, officers, agents or
employees shall be responsible  for or have any duty to ascertain,  inquire into
or verify (i) any recital,  statement,  warranty or representation  contained in
this  Agreement  or any Note or any  Guaranty,  or in any  certificate,  report,
financial  statement  or  other  document  furnished  in  connection  with  this
Agreement,  (ii)  the  performance  or  observance  of any of the  covenants  or
agreements  of any  Borrower or any  Guarantor,  (iii) the  satisfaction  of any
condition  specified in Article 2 hereof,  or (iv) the validity,  effectiveness,
legal enforceability, value or genuineness of this Agreement or the Notes or any
collateral  subject  thereto or any other  instrument  or document  furnished in
connection herewith.

     7.7 Nonreliance on Agent and Other Banks. Each Bank acknowledges and agrees
that it has,  independently and without reliance on the Agent or any other Bank,
and based on such documents and information as it has deemed  appropriate,  made
its own  credit  analysis  of the  Borrowers  and  decision  to enter  into this
Agreement and that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or
any other Bank,  and based on such  documents and  information  as it shall deem
appropriate  at the time,  continue  to make its own  analysis  and  decision in
taking or not  taking  action  under  this  Agreement.  The  Agent  shall not be
required to keep itself  informed as to the  performance  or  observance  by any
Borrower or any Guarantor of this  Agreement,  the Notes or any other  documents
referred to or provided for herein or to inspect the  properties or books of any
Borrower or any Guarantor and,  except for notices,  reports and other documents
and  information  expressly  required to be  furnished to the Banks by the Agent
hereunder,  the Agent shall not have any duty or  responsibility  to provide any
Bank  with any  information  concerning  the  affairs,  financial  condition  or
business of the Borrowers or any of their respective Subsidiaries which may come
into the possession of the Agent or any of its affiliates.

<PAGE>
                                       35

     7.8 Indemnification.  The Banks agree to indemnify the Agent (to the extent
not  reimbursed by the  Borrowers,  but without  limiting any  obligation of the
Borrowers  to make such  reimbursement),  ratably  according  to the  respective
principal  amounts of the Loans then  outstanding made by each of them (or if no
Loans are at the time outstanding,  ratably according to the respective  amounts
of their  Commitments),  from and against any and all claims,  damages,  losses,
liabilities,  costs or  expenses  of any kind or nature  whatsoever  (including,
without limitation,  fees and disbursements of counsel) which may be imposed on,
incurred by, or asserted against the Agent in any way relating to or arising out
of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or any action taken or
omitted by the Agent under this Agreement, provided, however, that no Bank shall
be liable for any portion of such claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs or
expenses  resulting  from the Agent's gross  negligence  or willful  misconduct.
Without  limitation  of the  foregoing,  each Bank agrees to reimburse the Agent
promptly  upon  demand  for its  ratable  share  of any  out-of-pocket  expenses
(including  without  limitation  fees and  expenses of counsel)  incurred by the
Agent in connection with the preparation,  execution, delivery,  administration,
modification,  amendment or enforcement  (whether  through  negotiations,  legal
proceedings  or  otherwise)  of,  or  legal  advice  in  respect  of  rights  or
responsibilities  under,  this  Agreement,  to the extent  that the Agent is not
reimbursed  for  such  expenses  by the  Borrowers,  but  without  limiting  the
obligation  of the  Borrowers  to make such  reimbursement.  Each Bank agrees to
reimburse  the Agent  promptly  upon demand for its ratable share of any amounts
owing to the Agent by the  Banks  pursuant  to this  Section.  If the  indemnity
furnished to the Agent under this Section  shall,  in the judgment of the Agent,
be insufficient or become impaired,  the Agent may call for additional indemnity
from the Banks  and  cease,  or not  commence,  to take any  action  until  such
additional indemnity is furnished.

     7.9  Resignation  of Agent.  The Agent may  resign as such at any time upon
thirty days' prior written  notice to the Borrowers and the Banks.  In the event
of any  such  resignation,  the  Company  shall,  by an  instrument  in  writing
delivered to the Banks and the Agent, appoint a successor, which shall be a Bank
or any other  commercial  bank organized  under the laws of the United States or
any  State  thereof  and  having a  combined  capital  and  surplus  of at least
$500,000,000.  If a  successor  is not so  appointed  or does  not  accept  such
appointment  before the Agent's  resignation  becomes  effective,  the resigning
Agent may appoint a temporary  successor  to act until such  appointment  by the
Company is made and  accepted.  Any  successor  to the Agent  shall  execute and
deliver to the Borrowers and the Banks an instrument  accepting such appointment
and thereupon such successor  Agent,  without  further act, deed,  conveyance or
transfer  shall become  vested with all of the  properties,  rights,  interests,
powers,  authorities  and  obligations  of its  predecessor  hereunder with like
effect as if originally named as Agent hereunder. Upon request of such successor
Agent,  the  Borrowers  and the  resigning  Agent shall execute and deliver such
instruments  of conveyance,  assignment and further  assurance and do such other
things as may  reasonably be required for more fully and  certainly  vesting and
confirming  in such  successor  Agent all such  properties,  rights,  interests,
powers,  authorities  and  obligations.  The  provisions of this Article 7 shall
thereafter remain effective for such resigning Agent with respect to any actions
taken or omitted to be taken by such Agent while acting as the Agent hereunder.
<PAGE>
                                       36

     7.10 Sharing of Payments.  The Banks agree among  themselves  that,  in the
event  that any Bank  shall  obtain  payment in respect of any Loan or any other
obligation  owing to the Banks under this  Agreement  through the  exercise of a
right of set-off,  banker's  lien,  counterclaim  or  otherwise in excess of its
ratable  share of payments  received by all of the Banks on account of the Loans
and other obligations (or if no Loans are outstanding,  ratably according to the
respective  amounts of the Commitments),  such Bank shall promptly purchase from
the other  Banks  participations  in such  Loans and other  obligations  in such
amounts,  and  make  such  other  adjustments  from  time to  time,  as shall be
equitable to the end that all of the Banks share such payment in accordance with
such ratable shares. The Banks further agree among themselves that if payment to
a Bank  obtained  by such  Bank  through  the  exercise  of a right of  set-off,
banker's lien, counterclaim or otherwise as aforesaid shall be rescinded or must
otherwise  be  restored,  each Bank which  shall have shared the benefit of such
payment shall,  by repurchase of  participations  theretofore  sold,  return its
share of that benefit to each Bank whose  payment  shall have been  rescinded or
otherwise  restored.  The  Borrowers  agree that any Bank so  purchasing  such a
participation  may, to the fullest extent permitted by law,  exercise all rights
of payment,  including set-off,  banker's lien or counterclaim,  with respect to
such  participation as fully as if such Bank were a holder of such Loan or other
obligation  in the amount of such  participation.  The Banks further agree among
themselves  that, in the event that amounts  received by the Banks and the Agent
hereunder are  insufficient  to pay all such  obligations or insufficient to pay
all such  obligations when due, the fees and other amounts owing to the Agent in
such capacity shall be paid therefrom before payment of obligations owing to the
Banks under this Agreement,  other than agency fees payable  pursuant to Section
2.4(b) of this  Agreement  which shall be paid on a pro rata basis with  amounts
owing to the Banks. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, if
any Bank or the Agent  shall  fail to remit to the  Agent or any  other  Bank an
amount  payable  by such  Bank or the  Agent  to the  Agent or such  other  Bank
pursuant to this  Agreement on the date when such amount is due,  such  payments
shall be made together  with  interest  thereon for each date from the date such
amount is due until the date such amount is paid to the Agent or such other Bank
at a rate per annum equal to the rate at which  borrowings  are available to the
payee in its overnight federal funds market. It is further understood and agreed
among the Banks and the Agent that if the Agent or any Bank shall  engage in any
other  transactions  with  any  Borrower  and  shall  have  the  benefit  of any
collateral or security  therefor which does not expressly secure the obligations
arising under this Agreement  except by virtue of a so-called  dragnet clause or
comparable  provision,  the Agent or such Bank  shall be  entitled  to apply any
proceeds  of such  collateral  or security  first in respect of the  obligations
arising in connection  with such other  transaction  before  application  to the
obligations arising under this Agreement.

     7.11  Co-Agent.  The  Co-Agent  shall have all of the  duties  which may be
agreed upon or  assigned to it from time to time by the Agent.  In the event any
such duties are assigned to the Co-Agent,  the Co-Agent shall be entitled to the
same  indemnifications  and other  protections  and held to the same standard of
care as provided in this Article 7 for the Agent.

                                  8. ARTICLE 8.
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     8.1 Amendments, Etc.

     (a) No amendment,  modification,  termination or waiver of any provision of
this  Agreement  nor any consent to any departure  therefrom  shall be effective
unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Borrowers and the Required
Banks  and,  to the  extent  any  rights or duties of the Agent may be  affected
thereby, the Agent,  provided,  however,  that no such amendment,  modification,
termination,  waiver or consent shall,  without the consent of the Agent and all
of the  Banks,  (i)  authorize  or permit  the  extension  of time  for,  or any
reduction of the amount of, any payment of the principal of, or interest on, the
Notes,  or any fees or other amount payable  hereunder,  (ii) amend or terminate
the respective Commitment of any Bank set forth on the signature pages hereof or
modify the  provisions of this Section  regarding the taking of any action under
this Section or the  provisions  of Section 7.10 or the  definition  of Required
Banks or (iii) amend or modify the Guaranty (other than any amendment solely for
the  purpose of adding or deleting a  Borrowing  Subsidiary)  or provide for the
release or discharge of the Company's obligations under the Guaranty.

<PAGE>
                                       37

     (b) Any such  amendment,  waiver or consent shall be effective  only in the
specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.

     (c)  Notwithstanding  anything  herein to the contrary,  no Bank that is in
default of any of its obligations,  covenants or agreements under this Agreement
shall be entitled to vote  (whether to consent or to withhold its consent)  with
respect to any amendment,  modification,  termination or waiver of any provision
of this Agreement or any departure  therefrom or any direction from the Banks to
the Agent,  and, for purposes of determining the Required Banks at any time when
any Bank is in default under this  Agreement,  the Commitments and Loans of such
defaulting Banks shall be disregarded.

     8.2 Notices.

     (a) Except as otherwise  provided in Section 8.2(c) hereof, all notices and
other  communications  hereunder  shall be in writing and shall be  delivered or
sent to the Borrowers in care of the Treasury  Manager at 899 Cleveland  Street,
P.O. Box 4028, Elyria, Ohio 44036, Attention: Chief Financial Officer, Facsimile
No. (216) 366-9672,  and to the Agent and the Banks at the respective  addresses
and numbers for notices set forth on the  signatures  pages  hereof,  or to such
other address as may be  designated  by any  Borrower,  the Agent or any Bank by
notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other  communications  shall
be deemed to have been  given at the time of  actual  delivery  thereof  to such
address,  or if sent by certified or registered mail,  postage prepaid,  to such
address,  on the third day after the date of mailing,  or if  deposited  prepaid
with Federal Express or other nationally  recognized  overnight delivery service
prior to the deadline for next day delivery,  on the Business Day next following
such  deposit,  provided,  however,  that  notices  to the  Agent  shall  not be
effective until received.

     (b) Notices by the Treasury Manager or a Borrower to the Agent with respect
to  terminations  or  reductions  of the  Commitments  pursuant to Section  2.3,
requests  for Loans  pursuant to Section  2.5,  requests  for  continuations  or
conversions of Loans pursuant to Section 2.8 and notices of prepayment  pursuant
to Section 3.1 shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrowers.

     (c) Any notice to be given by the  Treasury  Manager  or a Borrower  to the
Agent pursuant to Sections 2.5 or 2.8 and any notice to be given by the Agent or
any Bank hereunder, may be given by telephone, and all such notices given by the
Treasury  Manager or a Borrower must be immediately  confirmed in writing in the
manner provided in Section  8.2(a).  Any such notice given by telephone shall be
deemed  effective upon receipt thereof by the party to whom such notice is to be
given.

     8.3 No Waiver By Conduct;  Remedies Cumulative. No course of dealing on the
part of the Agent or any Bank, nor any delay or failure on the part of the Agent
or any Bank in exercising any right, power or privilege  hereunder shall operate
as a waiver of such right, power or privilege or otherwise prejudice the Agent's
or such Bank's  rights and remedies  hereunder;  nor shall any single or partial
exercise  thereof  preclude any further  exercise thereof or the exercise of any
other right,  power or privilege.  No right or remedy conferred upon or reserved
to the Agent or any Bank under this  Agreement  or the Notes or any  Guaranty is
intended  to be  exclusive  of any other  right or remedy,  and every  right and
remedy shall be cumulative, except as limited by this Agreement, and in addition
to every other right or remedy granted  thereunder or now or hereafter  existing
under any  applicable  law.  Every right and remedy granted by this Agreement or
the Notes or any Guaranty or by  applicable  law to the Agent or any Bank may be
exercised from time to time and as often as may be deemed expedient by the Agent
or any Bank and, unless contrary to the express  provisions of this Agreement or
the Notes or such Guaranty, irrespective of the occurrence or continuance of any
Default or Event of Default.
<PAGE>
                                       38

     8.4 Reliance on and Survival of Various Provisions.  All terms,  covenants,
agreements, representations and warranties of any Borrower or any Guarantor made
herein, in any Guaranty or in any certificate,  report,  financial  statement or
other  document  furnished by or on behalf of any  Borrower or any  Guarantor in
connection  with this Agreement  shall be deemed to be material and to have been
relied  upon by the  Banks,  notwithstanding  any  investigation  heretofore  or
hereafter  made by any Bank or on such Bank's  behalf,  and those  covenants and
agreements  of the Borrowers set forth in Sections 3.6, 3.8 and 8.5 hereof shall
survive  the  repayment  in  full  of  the  Loans  and  the  termination  of the
Commitments for a period of one year from such repayment or termination.

     8.5 Expenses; Indemnification.

     (a) The Company  agrees to pay, or reimburse  the Agent for the payment of,
on demand, (i) the reasonable fees, without premium,  and expenses of counsel to
the Agent,  including  without  limitation the  reasonable  fees and expenses of
Dickinson,  Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman as agreed upon with the Company in
connection with the preparation,  execution,  delivery and administration of the
Loan Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and
in connection with advising the Agent as to its rights and responsibilities with
respect thereto,  and in connection with any amendments,  waivers or consents in
connection  therewith,  and (ii) all stamp and other  taxes and fees  payable or
determined to be payable in connection with the execution,  delivery,  filing or
recording of this Agreement,  the Notes and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated  hereby,  and any and all liabilities  with respect to or resulting
from any delay in paying or  omitting  to pay such taxes or fees,  and (iii) all
reasonable  costs  and  expenses  of the  Agent  (including  without  limitation
reasonable  fees and expenses of counsel,  which  counsel shall be acceptable to
the Required Banks,  including without  limitation  counsel who are employees of
the Agent,  and whether  incurred  through  negotiations,  legal  proceedings or
otherwise) in connection with any Default or Event of Default or the enforcement
of, or the exercise or preservation of any rights under the Loan Documents or in
connection  with any  refinancing or  restructuring  of the credit  arrangements
provided under this Agreement.

     (b) Each Borrower hereby  indemnifies and agrees to hold harmless the Banks
and the Agent, and their respective officers,  directors,  employees and agents,
from and against  any and all claims,  damages,  losses,  liabilities,  costs or
expenses  of any kind or nature  whatsoever  which the Banks or the Agent or any
such  person may incur or which may be claimed  against any of them by reason of
or  in  connection  with  entering  into  this  Agreement  or  the  transactions
contemplated hereby;  provided,  however,  that no Borrower shall be required to
indemnify any such Bank and the Agent or such other person,  to the extent,  but
only to the extent, that such claim, damage, loss, liability, cost or expense is
attributable to the gross  negligence or willful  misconduct of such Bank or the
Agent, as the case may be.


     8.6 Successors and Assigns.

     (a) This  Agreement  shall be binding  upon and inure to the benefit of the
parties hereto and their  respective  successors  and assigns,  provided that no
Borrower  may,  without  the prior  consent of the  Banks,  assign its rights or
obligations hereunder or under the Notes and the Banks shall not be obligated to
make any Loan hereunder to any entity other than the Borrowers.

<PAGE>
                                       39

     (b) Any Bank may,  without  the prior  consent of the  Company  sell to any
financial  institution  or  institutions,  and  such  financial  institution  or
institutions may further sell, a participation  interest  (undivided or divided)
in, the Loans and such Bank's rights and benefits  under this  Agreement and the
Notes,  and to the extent of that  participation  interest such  participant  or
participants shall have the same rights and benefits against the Borrowers under
Section 3.6, 3.8 and 6.2(c) as it or they would have had if such  participant or
participants  were  the  Bank  making  the  Loans  to the  Borrowers  hereunder,
provided,  however,  that (i) such Bank's obligations under this Agreement shall
remain  unmodified and fully effective and  enforceable  against such Bank, (ii)
such Bank shall remain solely  responsible  to the other parties  hereto for the
performance of such obligations,  (iii) such Bank shall remain the holder of its
Notes for all purposes of this Agreement,  (iv) the Borrowers, the Agent and the
other  Banks  shall  continue  to deal  solely  and  directly  with such Bank in
connection with such Bank's rights and obligations under this Agreement, and (v)
such Bank shall not grant to its  participant  any rights to consent or withhold
consent to any action taken by such Bank or the Agent under this Agreement other
than action requiring the consent of all of the Banks hereunder.

     (c) The Agent from time to time in its sole  discretion  may appoint agents
for  the  purpose  of  servicing  and  administering   this  Agreement  and  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby and  enforcing  or  exercising  any rights or
remedies of the Agent provided under this Agreement,  the Notes or otherwise. In
furtherance  of such  agency,  the Agent may from time to time  direct  that the
Borrowers  provide  notices,  reports and other  documents  contemplated by this
Agreement (or duplicates  thereof) to such agent.  Each Borrower hereby consents
to the appointment of such agent and agrees to provide all such notices, reports
and other  documents  and to otherwise  deal with such agent acting on behalf of
the Agent in the same  manner as would be  required  if  dealing  with the Agent
itself.

     (d) Each Bank may,  with the prior  consent  of the  Company  and the Agent
(which consent, in each case, will not be unreasonably withheld),  assign to one
or more banks or other  entities all or a portion of its rights and  obligations
under this Agreement  (including,  without  limitation,  all or a portion of its
Commitment,  the Loans owing to it and the Note or Notes held by it);  provided,
however, that (i) each such assignment shall be of a uniform, and not a varying,
percentage  of all  rights  and  obligations,  (ii)  except  in the  case  of an
assignment of all of a Bank's rights and obligations  under this Agreement,  (A)
the amount of the Commitment of the assigning  Bank being  assigned  pursuant to
each such assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance
with respect to such assignment) shall in no event be less than $5,000,000,  and
in integral  multiples of  $1,000,000  thereafter,  or such lesser amount as the
Company  and the Agent may consent to and (B) after  giving  effect to each such
assignment, the amount of the Commitment of the assigning Bank shall in no event
be less than $3,000,000, (iii) the parties to each such assignment shall execute
and deliver to the Agent,  for its acceptance and recording in the Register,  an
Assignment  and Acceptance in the form of Exhibit G hereto (an  "Assignment  and
Acceptance"),  together with any Note or Notes subject to such  assignment and a
processing  and  recordation  fee of $4,000,  and (iv) any Bank may  without the
consent of the Company or the Agent,  and without paying any fee, assign or sell
a  participation  interest  to any  Affiliate  of  such  Bank  that is a bank or
financial  institution all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this
Agreement.  Upon such execution,  delivery,  acceptance and recording,  from and
after the effective date specified in such  Assignment and  Acceptance,  (x) the
assignee  thereunder  shall be a party hereto and, to the extent that rights and
obligations  hereunder have been assigned to it pursuant to such  Assignment and
Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Bank hereunder and (y) the Bank
assignor  thereunder shall, to the extent that rights and obligations  hereunder
have been assigned by it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance,  relinquish
its rights and be released from its  obligations  under this Agreement  (and, in
the case of an Assignment and Acceptance  covering all of the remaining  portion
of an assigning  Bank's rights and obligations  under this Agreement,  such Bank
shall cease to be a party hereto).

<PAGE>
                                       40

     (e) By executing  and  delivering an Assignment  and  Acceptance,  the Bank
assignor  thereunder and the assignee  thereunder confirm to and agree with each
other and the other  parties  hereto as  follows:  (i) other than as provided in
such Assignment and Acceptance,  such assigning Bank makes no  representation or
warranty  and  assumes  no  responsibility   with  respect  to  any  statements,
warranties or  representations  made in or in connection  with this Agreement or
the execution, legality, validity, enforceability,  genuineness,  sufficiency or
value of this Agreement or any other instrument or document  furnished  pursuant
hereto; (ii) such assigning Bank makes no representation or warranty and assumes
no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of any Borrower or the
performance or observance by any Borrower of any of its  obligations  under this
Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished  pursuant hereto;  (iii)
such assignee  confirms that it has received a copy of this Agreement,  together
with  copies of the  financial  statements  referred  to in Section 4.6 and such
other  documents and  information  as it has deemed  appropriate to make its own
credit analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance;  (iv)
such assignee  will,  independently  and without  reliance upon the Agent,  such
assigning Bank or any other Bank and based on such documents and  information as
it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions
in taking or not taking action under this Agreement;  (v) such assignee appoints
and  authorizes  the Agent to take such  action  as agent on its  behalf  and to
exercise such powers and discretion under this Agreement as are delegated to the
Agent by the terms  hereof,  together  with such  powers and  discretion  as are
reasonably  incidental  thereto;  and (vi)  such  assignee  agrees  that it will
perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations  that by the terms
of this Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Bank.

     (f) The Agent shall  maintain at its address  designated  on the  signature
pages hereof a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance  delivered to and accepted
by it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Banks
and the  Commitment  of, and  principal  amount of the Loans owing to, each Bank
from  time to time  (the  "Register").  The  entries  in the  Register  shall be
conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error, and the Company,
the Borrowing Subsidiaries,  the Agent and the Banks may treat each person whose
name is recorded in the  Register as a Bank  hereunder  for all purposes of this
Agreement.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Company or any
Bank at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

     (g) Upon  its  receipt  of an  Assignment  and  Acceptance  executed  by an
assigning Bank and an assignee,  together with any Note or Notes subject to such
assignment,  the  Agent  shall,  if such  Assignment  and  Acceptance  has  been
completed,   (i)  accept  such  Assignment  and  Acceptance,   (ii)  record  the
information  contained  therein in the  Register  and (iii) give  prompt  notice
thereof to the  Company.  Within  five  Business  Days after its receipt of such
notice,  the Borrowers,  at their own expense,  shall execute and deliver to the
Agent in exchange for the  surrendered  Note or Notes a new Note to the order of
such  assignee in an amount  equal to the  Commitment  assumed by it pursuant to
such  Assignment  and  Acceptance  and,  if the  assigning  Bank has  retained a
Commitment hereunder, a new Note to the order of the assigning Bank in an amount
equal to the Commitment  retained by it hereunder.  Such new Note or Notes shall
be in an aggregate  principal amount equal to the aggregate  principal amount of
such  surrendered  Note or  Notes,  shall be dated  the  effective  date of such
Assignment and Acceptance and shall  otherwise be in  substantially  the form of
Exhibit G hereto.
<PAGE>
                                       41

     (h) No  Borrower  shall be liable for any costs or  expenses of any Bank in
effectuating any participation or assignment under this Section 8.6.

     (i) The Banks may, in connection  with any assignment or  participation  or
proposed  assignment or participation  pursuant to this Section 8.6, disclose to
the assignee or participant or proposed  assignee or participant any information
relating to the Borrowers.

     (j)  Notwithstanding  any other provision set forth in this Agreement,  any
Bank may at any time  create a  security  interest  in,  or  assign,  all or any
portion of its rights under this Agreement (including,  without limitation,  the
Loans  owing  to it and the Note or  Notes  held by it) in favor of any  Federal
Reserve Bank in  accordance  with  Regulation A of the Board of Governors of the
Federal  Reserve System;  provided that such creation of a security  interest or
assignment  shall  not  release  such  Bank  from  its  obligations  under  this
Agreement.

     8.7  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may  be  executed  in  any  number  of
counterparts,  all of which taken  together  shall  constitute  one and the same
instrument  and any of the parties  hereto may execute this Agreement by signing
any such counterpart.

     8.8 Governing Law;  Consent to  Jurisdiction.  This Agreement is a contract
made under,  and shall be governed by and construed in accordance  with, the law
of the  State of  Michigan  applicable  to  contracts  made and to be  performed
entirely within such State and without giving effect to choice of law principles
of such State.  Each Borrower further agrees that any legal action or proceeding
with  respect to this  Agreement or the Notes or the  transactions  contemplated
hereby shall be brought in any court of the State of  Michigan,  or in any court
of the United States of America  sitting in Michigan,  and each Borrower  hereby
irrevocably   submits  to  and  accepts   generally  and   unconditionally   the
jurisdiction  of those  courts  with  respect to its person  and  property,  and
irrevocably  appoints  Thomas R. Miklich,  whose address is set forth in Section
8.2, as its agent for service of process and irrevocably consents to the service
of process in connection with any such action or proceeding by personal delivery
to such agent or to the  Borrowers or by the mailing  thereof by  registered  or
certified  mail,  postage  prepaid to the  Borrowers at the address set forth in
Section 8.2.  Nothing in this paragraph  shall affect the right of the Banks and
the Agent to serve  process in any other  manner  permitted  by law or limit the
right of the Banks or the Agent to bring any such action or  proceeding  against
the Borrowers or property in the courts of any other jurisdiction. Each Borrower
hereby  irrevocably waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit
or proceeding in the above described courts.

     8.9 Table of Contents and Headings.  The table of contents and the headings
of the various subdivisions hereof are for the convenience of reference only and
shall in no way modify any of the terms or provisions hereof.

     8.10 Construction of Certain Provisions. If any provision of this Agreement
refers  to any  action  to be  taken by any  person,  or which  such  person  is
prohibited from taking,  such provision shall be applicable  whether such action
is taken  directly  or  indirectly  by such  person,  whether  or not  expressly
specified in such provision.
<PAGE>
                                       42

     8.11 Integration and Severability.  This Agreement and the Notes embody the
entire agreement and  understanding  between the Borrowers and the Agent and the
Banks,  and supersede all prior agreements and  understandings,  relating to the
subject  matter  hereof.  In case  any one or  more  of the  obligations  of any
Borrower  under  this  Agreement  or the  Notes  shall be  invalid,  illegal  or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction,  the validity, legality and enforceability of
the remaining  obligations of such Borrower and the other Borrowers shall not in
any way be affected or impaired  thereby,  and such  invalidity,  illegality  or
unenforceability in one jurisdiction shall not affect the validity,  legality or
enforceability  of the  obligations of the Borrowers under this Agreement or the
Notes in any other jurisdiction.

     8.12  Independence  of Covenants.  All covenants  hereunder  shall be given
independent  effect so that if a particular action or condition is not permitted
by any such covenant, the fact that it would be permitted by an exception to, or
would be otherwise  within the limitations of, another  covenant shall not avoid
the  occurrence  of a Default or an Event of Default if such  action is taken or
such condition exists.

     8.13  Interest  Rate  Limitation.  Notwithstanding  any  provisions of this
Agreement or the Notes,  in no event shall the amount of interest paid or agreed
to be paid by any  Borrower  exceed an amount  computed at the  highest  rate of
interest   permissible   under  applicable  law.  If,  from  any   circumstances
whatsoever,  fulfillment  of any provision of this Agreement or the Notes at the
time  performance  of such provision  shall be due, shall involve  exceeding the
interest rate  limitation  validly  prescribed by law which a court of competent
jurisdiction may deem applicable hereto, then, ipso facto, the obligations to be
fulfilled shall be reduced to an amount computed at the highest rate of interest
permissible  under  applicable  law, and if for any reason  whatsoever  any Bank
shall ever  receive as interest an amount which would be deemed  unlawful  under
such applicable law such interest shall be automatically  applied to the payment
of principal of such Bank's Loans outstanding hereunder (whether or not then due
and  payable)  and not to the payment of  interest,  or shall be refunded to the
Borrowers if such  principal and all other  obligations of the Borrowers to such
Bank have been paid in full.

     8.14  Confidentiality.  The Banks and the Agent shall hold all confidential
information  obtained  pursuant to the  requirements of this Agreement which has
been  identified  as such by the  Company in  accordance  with  their  customary
procedures  for  handling  confidential   information  of  this  nature  and  in
accordance  with  safe and  sound  banking  practices  and in any event may make
disclosure to its examiners,  affiliates,  outside  auditors,  counsel and other
professional  advisors  in  connection  with  this  Agreement  or as  reasonably
required by any bona fide  transferee  or  participant  in  connection  with the
contemplated  transfer  of any Note or  participation  therein or as required or
requested by any governmental  agency or  representative  thereof or pursuant to
legal process.  Without limiting the foregoing,  it is expressly understood that
such confidential  information shall not include  information which, at the time
of disclosure is in the public domain or, which after  disclosure,  becomes part
of the public domain or  information  which is obtained by any Bank or the Agent
prior to the time of  disclosure  and  identification  by the Company under this
Section,  or  information  received by any Bank or the Agent from a third party.
Nothing in this Section or otherwise  shall  prohibit any Bank or the Agent from
disclosing  any  confidential  information  to the  other  Banks or the Agent or
render any of them liable in connection with any such disclosure.

<PAGE>
                                       43

     8.15 Waiver of Jury Trial.  The Borrowers,  the Banks and the Agent,  after
consulting or having had the  opportunity  to consult with  counsel,  knowingly,
voluntarily and intentionally waive any right either of them may have to a trial
by jury in any  litigation  based upon or arising out of this  Agreement  or any
other Loan Document or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
any course of conduct, dealing,  statements (whether oral or written) or actions
of any of them.  Neither  any  Borrower,  any Bank nor the Agent  shall  seek to
consolidate, by counterclaim or otherwise, any such action in which a jury trial
has been waived with any other action in which a jury trial cannot be or has not
been waived.  These  provisions shall not be deemed to have been modified in any
respect  or  relinquished  by any party  hereto  except by a written  instrument
executed by such party.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties  hereto have caused this  Agreement to be
duly  executed and delivered on the 27th day of February,  1997,  which shall be
the Effective  Date of this  Agreement,  notwithstanding  the day and year first
above written.



                              INVACARE CORPORATION


                              By:/S/ Thomas R. Miklich
                              ---------------------------
                              Its  Chief Financial Officer
                              ----------------------------

Address for Notices:                               NBD BANK, as Agent


611 Woodward Avenue                                By:/S/ Winifred S. Pinet
Detroit, Michigan 48226                            ------------------------
Attention: Midwest Banking Division                Its:First Vice President
                                                   ------------------------
Facsimile No.: (313) 225-1671
Telephone No.: (313) 225-2259


Address for Notices:                               THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF 
                                                   CHICAGO


One First National Plaza                           By:/S/ Winifred S. Pinet
Chicago, Illinois 60670                            ------------------------
Attention: Ernie Misiora                           Its:First Vice President
                                                   ------------------------
Facsimile No.: (312) 732-1158
Telephone No.: (312) 732-7659

Commitment Amount: $30,000,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 15%

<PAGE>
                                       44


Address for Notices:                            KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as
                                                Co-Agent and as a Bank


127 Public Square, 6th Floor                    By:/S/ Thomas Purcell
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-1306                      ---------------------
Attention:  Thomas Purcell                      Its: Vice President
                                                ---------------------
Facsimile No.: (216) 689-4981
Telephone No.: (216) 689-4439

Commitment Amount: $30,000,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 15%


Address for Notices:                         SUN TRUST BANK, CENTRAL FLORIDA, NA


200 S. Orange Avenue                          By: /S/Janet P.Sammons
Orlando, Florida 32801                        --------------------------
Attention: Steve Leister                      Its: Vice President
                                              --------------------------
Facsimile No.: (407) 237-6894
Telephone No.: (407) 237-4705

Commitment Amount: $20,000,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 10%



Address for Notices:                       NATIONAL CITY BANK


1900 E. 9th, 10th Floor                    By: /S/ Michael P. McCuen
Cleveland, Ohio 44114                      ----------------------------
Attention:  Michael McCuen                 Its:Vice President
                                           ----------------------------
Facsimile No.: (216) 575-9396
Telephone No.: (216) 575-9401

Commitment Amount: $17,500,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 8.75%



Address for Notices:                       SOCIETE GENERALE, CHICAGO BRANCH


181 W. Madison, Suite 3400                 By:/S/ Joseph Philbin
Chicago, Illinois 60602                    ---------------------------
Attention: Joseph Philbin                  Its: Vice President
                                           ---------------------------
Facsimile No.: (312) 578-5099
Telephone No.: (312) 578-5005

Commitment Amount: $17,500,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 8.75%

<PAGE>
                                       45

Address for Notices:                        WACHOVIA BANK OF GEORGIA, NA


191 Peachtree Street, NE                    By:/S/ James B. Gburek
Atlanta, GA 30303                           ----------------------------
Attention:  Eero Maki                       Its:SVP/ Group Executive
                                            ----------------------------
Facsimile No.: (404) 332-6898
Telephone No.: (404) 332-5275

Commitment Amount: $17,000,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 8.5%


Address for Notices:                         PNC BANK, NA


1375 E. Ninth Street, #1250                  By:/S/ Bryon A. Pike
Cleveland, OH 44114                          ----------------------------
Attention:  Bryon Pike                       Its: Vice President
                                             ----------------------------
Facsimile No.: (216) 348-8594
Telephone No.: (216) 348-8560

Commitment Amount: $17,000,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 8.5%


Address for Notices:                         COMMERZBANK, AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT,
CHICAGO BRANCH


311 S. Wacker Drive                          By:/S/ Dr. Helmut R. Tollner
Chicago, IL 60606                               /S/ Villiam J. Binder
Attention:  William Binder                   -----------------------------
                                             Its:Executive Vice President
Facsimile No.: (312) 435-1486                    Assistant Vice President
Telephone No.: (312) 408-6920                -----------------------------

Commitment Amount: $17,000,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 8.5%


Address for Notices:                         THE SANWA BANK, LIMITED, CHICAGO
BRANCH


10 S. Wacker Drive, 31st Floor               By: /S/James P. Byrnes
Chicago, IL  60606                           -------------------------------
Attention:  Lisa Dean Jeszke                 Its: First Vice President
                                             -------------------------------
Facsimile No.: (312) 346-6677
Telephone No.: (312) 368-3016

Commitment Amount: $17,000,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 8.5%
<PAGE>
                                       46

Address for Notices:                          THE BANK OF NEW YORK


One Wall Street, 22ND Floor                    By:/S/ Edward Dougherty III
New York, New York 10286                      -----------------------------
Attention:   Ed Dougherty                      Its:Vice President
                                              -----------------------------   
Facsimile No.: (212) 635-6434
Telephone No.: (212) 635-1066

Commitment Amount: $17,000,000

Initial Percentage of
  Total Commitments: 8.5%
<PAGE>
                                       47

                                  EXHIBIT A

                                    AGREEMENT



         Reference is made to the Loan  Agreement  dated as of February 27, 1997
(as  now or  hereafter  amended  or  modified  from  time  to  time,  the  "Loan
Agreement")  among INVACARE  CORPORATION,  an Ohio  corporation (the "Company"),
certain  borrowing  subsidiaries  designated  therein  from  time to  time  (the
"Borrowing  Subsidiaries,  and  collectively  with the Company,  the  "Borrowing
Subsidiaries"),  the Guarantors  defined therein (the  "Guarantors"),  the banks
named therein (the "Banks") and NBD BANK, as agent for the Banks (the  "Agent").
Terms defined in the Loan Agreement are used herein with the same meaning.


         1.  __________________,  a ___________  corporation (the "New Borrowing
Subsidiary")  has  decided  to  become a  Borrowing  Subsidiary  under  the Loan
Agreement, with its address for notice as described next to its signature below.
The New  Borrowing  Subsidiary  (i) confirms  that it has received a copy of the
Loan  Agreement,  together  with copies of documents and  information  as it has
deemed  appropriate to make its own decision to enter into this Agreement;  (ii)
agrees that it will perform in accordance with all of the obligations and comply
with all of the covenants  that by the terms of the Loan Agreement and the other
Loan  Documents  are  required to be  performed  by or complied  with by it as a
Borrowing  Subsidiary;  (iii) confirms that the  representations  and warranties
contained in Article IV of the Loan  Agreement  and in any other Loan  Agreement
applicable to a Borrowing  Subsidiary are true and correct as of the date hereof
as to the New Borrowing Subsidiary and (iv) authorizes Invacare Corporation,  as
Treasury  Manager,  to act as its manager under the Loan  Agreement  pursuant to
Section 2.11 of the Loan Agreement.

         2. Upon  execution and delivery of this Agreement to the Agent together
with all  other  items  required  pursuant  to  paragraph  3, the New  Borrowing
Subsidiary  shall be a party  to the Loan  Agreement  and  have the  rights  and
obligations of a Borrowing Subsidiary thereunder.

         3. This  Agreement  shall not become  effective  and the New  Borrowing
Subsidiary  shall not become a  Borrowing  Subsidiary  under the Loan  Agreement
until  receipt by the Agent of the  following  documents  and  completion of the
following matters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent:

     (a) A certificate of incumbency of the Company,  each Guarantor and the New
Borrowing  Subsidiary  containing,  and  attesting  to the  genuineness  of, the
signatures  of those  officers  authorized to act on behalf of the New Borrowing
Subsidiary in connection with this  Agreement,  the Loan Agreement and the Notes
and on  behalf  of the  Company  and each  Guarantor  in  connection  with  this
Agreement and the consummation by the New Borrowing Subsidiary,  the Company and
the Guarantors of the transactions  contemplated  herein,  certified as true and
correct as of the effective date of this Agreement by a duly authorized  officer
of the New Borrowing Subsidiary,  the Company and each Guarantor,  respectively;
and

     (b) The Notes, duly executed on behalf of the New Borrowing Subsidiary, for
each Bank;

         4. Each of the Company and each other  Guarantor (a) fully  consents to
the New Borrowing  Subsidiary becoming a Borrowing  Subsidiary;  (b) agrees that
the Guaranty  executed by it with respect to the  indebtedness,  obligations and
liabilities of the Borrowing Subsidiaries dated as of February 27, 1997 in favor
of the Agent and the Banks is ratified  and  confirmed  and shall remain in full
force and  effect;  and (c)  confirms  that all  indebtedness,  obligations  and
liabilities  of  the  Borrowing   Subsidiaries,   including  the  New  Borrowing
Subsidiary, are guaranteed by the Guaranty.
<PAGE>
                                       48

         5.       This Agreement  shall be governed by, and construed in 
accordance  with, the laws of the State of Michigan.

         6. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts  and by
different  parties  hereto  in  separate  counterparts,  each of  which  when so
executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall
constitute one and the same agreement.

         7. Upon  delivery of this  executed  Agreement to the Agent,  the Agent
shall deliver a copy of this Agreement to each Bank,  together with the original
Notes payable to each such Bank.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their duly  authorized  officer  thereunto duly authorized as of the
day and year first above written.


                                          [NEW BORROWING SUBSIDIARY]

Attention: ___________________        By:______________________________________
Facsimile No. (___) ___-____          Its:____________________________________


CANYON PRODUCTS CORPORATION                 INVACARE CREDIT CORPORATION

By:____________________________         By:____________________________

Its:______________________              Its: ______________________

INVACARE INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION                                  INVACARE HOLDINGS CORPORATION

By:___________________________         By:_____________________________

Its: ______________________            Its:  _______________________

MOBILITE CORPORATION                        INVATECTION INSURANCE
                                            COMPANY, INC.

By:__________________________          By:_____________________________

Its:  ____________________             Its:  _______________________

INVACARE TRADING COMPANY, INC.              INVACARE (DEUTSCHLAND) GMBH

By:___________________________         By:_____________________________

Its:  _____________________            Its:  ______________________

POIRIER GROUPE INVACARE                     INVACARE CANADA INC.

By:____________________________         By:________________________________

Its:  ______________________            Its:  __________________________

QUANTRIX CONSULTANTS LIMITED                FROHOCK-STEWART INC.

By:____________________________          By:_______________________________

Its:  _____________________              Its:  __________________________

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT REPAIR                    PRODUCTION RESEARCH
SERVICES INC.                                        CORPORATION

By:____________________________          By:_______________________________

Its:  ______________________             Its:_________________________

I.H.H. CORP.                                 INVACARE CORPORATION

By:_____________________________         By: _______________________________

Its:  ______________________             Its: __________________________


                                              NBD BANK, as Agent


                                       By: ___________________________________

                                       Its: ________________________________
<PAGE>
                                       49

                                   EXHIBIT B-1


                               GUARANTY AGREEMENT


                  THIS GUARANTY  AGREEMENT,  dated as of February 27, 1997 (this
"Guaranty") made by INVACARE CORPORATION, an Ohio corporation (the "Guarantor"),
in favor  of the  banks  which  are now,  or may at any time  hereafter  become,
parties to the Loan Agreement  hereinafter defined (the "Banks") and NBD BANK, a
Michigan banking corporation,  as agent (in such capacity, the "Agent") for such
Banks under the Loan Agreement.


                              W I T N E S S E T H:


     A. The  Guarantor  and certain  subsidiaries  of the Guarantor set forth on
Schedule A hereto (the  "Subsidiaries") have entered into a Loan Agreement dated
as of even date  herewith  (as amended or modified  from time to time,  together
with any  agreement  executed  in exchange or  replacement  therefor,  the "Loan
Agreement",  and all agreements,  instruments  and other  documents  executed in
connection  therewith,  collectively with the Loan Agreement  referred to as the
"Loan  Agreements")  with the Agent and the Banks,  pursuant  to which the Banks
have agreed to make Loans to the  Subsidiaries  and,  in their sole  discretion,
other  Subsidiaries of the Guarantor  (such  subsidiaries  and the  Subsidiaries
being collectively referred to herein as the "Borrowing  Subsidiaries")  subject
to the terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement; and

     B. As a condition to the obligation of the Banks under the Loan  Agreement,
the Guarantor is required to fully and  unconditionally  guarantee,  among other
things,  the Loans  and all  other  obligations  of the  Borrowing  Subsidiaries
described herein;

     NOW,  THEREFORE,   as  an  inducement  to  the  Banks  to  enter  into  the
transactions  contemplated by the Loan Agreement,  the Guarantor agrees with the
Banks and the Agent as follows:

     A. Guarantee of Obligations.  (a) The Guarantor  hereby (i) guarantees,  as
principal  obligor and not as surety only, to the Banks and the Agent the prompt
payment  of the  principal  of and any  and  all  accrued  and  unpaid  interest
(including  interest  which  otherwise  may cease to accrue by  operation of any
insolvency law, rule, regulation or interpretation thereof) on the Loans made to
any of the Borrowing Subsidiaries and all other loans or advances by any Bank to
any of the Borrowing Subsidiaries,  or other obligations of any of the Borrowing
Subsidiaries to the Agent and the Banks,  including without  limitation  foreign
exchange loans and advances which are not made pursuant to the terms of the Loan
Agreement,  all  when  due,  whether  by  scheduled  maturity,  acceleration  or
otherwise,  all in accordance  with the terms of the Loan Agreements and any and
all other present or future amounts which may be payable by any of the Borrowing
Subsidiaries to any Bank or the Agent at any time in connection with or pursuant
to  the  Loan  Documents,   including,  without  limitation,  default  interest,
indemnification  payments and all reasonable costs and expenses  incurred by the
Banks  and the  Agent  in  connection  with  enforcing  any  obligations  of the
Borrowing Subsidiaries  thereunder,  including without limitation the reasonable
fees and  disbursements  of counsel,  (ii)  guarantees  the prompt and  punctual
performance  and  observance  of each and  every  term,  covenant  or  agreement
contained  in each Loan  Document to be performed or observed on the part of any
of the  Borrowing  Subsidiaries,  and (iii)  agrees to make prompt  payment,  on
demand,  of any and all reasonable  costs and expenses  incurred by the Banks or
the  Agent  in  connection  with  enforcing  the  obligations  of the  Guarantor
hereunder,  including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements
of counsel (all of the  foregoing  described in (i),  (ii) and (iii) whether now
existing or hereafter arising, being collectively referred to as the "Guaranteed
Obligations").
<PAGE>
                                       50
     (a) If for any  reason  any duty,  agreement  or  obligation  of any of the
Borrowing  Subsidiaries  contained in the Loan Agreements shall not be performed
or observed by the relevant Borrowing  Subsidiary as provided therein, or if any
amount payable under or in connection with the Loan Agreements shall not be paid
in full when the same  becomes due and  payable,  the  Guarantor  undertakes  to
perform or cause to be performed  promptly each of such duties,  agreements  and
obligations  and to pay forthwith  each such amount to the Agent for the account
of the Banks  regardless of any defense or setoff or  counterclaim  which any of
the  Borrowing  Subsidiaries  may have or assert,  and  regardless  of any other
condition or contingency.

     (b) The date and amount of the Guaranteed  Obligations shown upon the books
and records of each respective Bank and in any certificate delivered by any Bank
to the Guarantor in respect  thereof shall be prima facie evidence of the amount
owing and  unpaid the  Guaranteed  Obligations.  The  failure to record any such
information  on such books and records  shall not,  however,  limit or otherwise
affect  the  obligations  of any of the  Borrowing  Subsidiaries  to  repay  the
Guaranteed  Obligations  or the  obligations  of the  Guarantor  hereunder  with
respect thereto.

     2. Nature of Guaranty.  This Guaranty is an absolute and  unconditional and
irrevocable  guaranty of payment and not a guaranty of collection  and is wholly
independent of and in addition to other rights and remedies of the Banks and the
Agent and is not  contingent  upon the pursuit by the Banks and the Agent of any
such rights and remedies, such pursuit being hereby waived by the Guarantor.

     3. Waivers and Other Agreements.  The Guarantor hereby  unconditionally (a)
waives any  requirement  that the Banks or the Agent,  upon the occurrence of an
"Event of  Default"  (as defined in the Loan  Agreement)  or an event of default
under any of the other Loan  Agreements  by any of the  Borrowing  Subsidiaries,
first make demand upon, or seek to enforce remedies  against,  any or all of the
Borrowing Subsidiaries before demanding payment under or seeking to enforce this
Guaranty,  (b) covenants  that this  Guaranty  will not be discharged  except by
complete performance of all obligations of the Borrowing  Subsidiaries contained
in the Loan Agreements, (c) agrees that this Guaranty shall remain in full force
and effect  without  regard to, and shall not be affected or  impaired,  without
limitation,  by any invalidity,  irregularity or unenforceability in whole or in
part of the Loan  Agreements,  or any  limitation on the liability of any of the
Borrowing Subsidiaries  thereunder,  or any limitation on the method or terms of
payment thereunder which may now or hereafter be caused or imposed in any manner
whatsoever,  (d) waives diligence,  presentment and protest with respect to, and
any  notice of  default  or  dishonor  in the  payment of any amount at any time
payable by any of the Borrowing  Subsidiaries  under or in  connection  with the
Loan Agreements,  and further waives any requirement of notice of acceptance of,
or other formality relating to, this Guaranty and (e) agrees that the Guaranteed
Obligations shall include any amounts paid by any of the Borrowing  Subsidiaries
to any Bank or the Agent  which may be  required  to be  returned  to any of the
Borrowing Subsidiaries,  or to its representative or to a trustee,  custodian or
receiver for any of the Borrowing Subsidiaries, and this Guaranty shall continue
to be effective,  or be reinstated,  as the case may be, with the respect to any
amounts which may be required to be so returned.

     4. Obligations Absolute. The obligations,  covenants, agreements and duties
of the Guarantor under this Guaranty shall not be released, affected or impaired
by any of the following  whether or not undertaken  with notice to or consent of
the Guarantor: (a) any assignment or transfer, in whole or in part, of the Loans
made to the Borrowing  Subsidiaries or the Loan Agreements although made without
notice to or  consent  of the  Guarantor,  or (b) any  waiver by any Bank or the
Agent,  or by any other person,  of the  performance or observance by any of the
Borrowing Subsidiaries of any of the agreements,  covenants, terms or conditions
contained in the Loan  Agreements,  or (c) any indulgence in or the extension of
the time for payment by any of the Borrowing Subsidiaries of any amounts payable
under or in connection with the Loan Agreements,  or of the time for performance
by any of the Borrowing  Subsidiaries of any other  obligations under or arising
out of the Loan  Agreements,  or the  extension or renewal  thereof,  or (d) the
modification,  amendment or waiver (whether  material or otherwise) of any duty,
agreement or obligation of any of the  Borrowing  Subsidiaries  set forth in the
Loan Agreements (the modification,  amendment or waiver from time to time of the
Loan Agreements being expressly  authorized without further notice to or consent
of the  Guarantor),  or (e) the voluntary or  involuntary  liquidation,  sale or
other  disposition  of all or  substantially  all  of the  assets  of any of the
Borrowing   Subsidiaries,   or   any   receivership,   insolvency,   bankruptcy,
reorganization,  or other  similar  proceedings,  affecting any of the Borrowing
Subsidiaries or any of their assets,  or (f) the merger or  consolidation of any
of the Borrowing Subsidiaries or the Guarantor with any other person, or (g) the
release or discharge of any of the Borrowing  Subsidiaries or the Guarantor from
the  performance  or observance of any  agreement,  covenant,  term or condition
contained  in the Loan  Agreements,  by operation of law, or (h) any other cause
whether  similar or dissimilar to the foregoing  which would release,  affect or
impair  the  obligations,  covenants,  agreements  or  duties  of the  Guarantor
hereunder.
<PAGE>
                                       51

     5.  Foreign   Currency.   This  Guaranty   arises  in  the  context  of  an
international transaction,  and the specification of payment in foreign currency
to the Agent and the Banks pursuant to the Loan Agreement is of the essence. The
foreign  currency  shall be the  currency of account and payment  under the Loan
Agreements. The obligation of the Guarantor shall not be discharged by an amount
paid in any other currency or at another place,  whether  pursuant to a judgment
or otherwise,  to the extent that the amount so paid, on prompt  conversion into
the  foreign  currency  and  transfer  to the Agent and the Banks  under  normal
banking procedure,  does not yield the amount of foreign currency due under this
Guaranty.  In the event that any  payment,  whether  pursuant  to a judgment  or
otherwise,  upon  conversion  and  transfer,  does not  result in payment of the
amount of  foreign  currency  due under this  Guaranty,  the Agent and the Banks
shall have an independent  cause of action against the Guarantor for the foreign
currency deficiency.

     6. Events of Default.  The occurrence of any "Event of Default" (as defined
in the Loan Agreement)  shall be deemed an "event of default"  hereunder  unless
waived by the Banks pursuant to paragraph 8.

     7. Remedies.  Upon the occurrence and during the  continuance of such event
of default,  the Agent may,  and upon being  directed  to do so by the  Required
Banks,  shall enforce its rights either by suit in equity,  or by action at law,
or by other appropriate  proceedings,  whether for the specific  performance (to
the extent  permitted  by law) of any  covenant or  agreement  contained in this
Guaranty or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Guaranty and may
enforce payment under this Guaranty and any of its other rights available at law
or in equity.

     8. Amendments,  Etc. This Guaranty may be amended from time to time and any
provision  hereof may be waived in accordance  with the  requirements of Section
8.1 of the Loan  Agreement.  No  amendment  or waiver of any  provision  of this
Guaranty  nor  consent to any  departure  by the  Guarantor  therefrom  shall be
effective  unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Required  Banks
or all of the Banks, as the case may be, and, to the extent any rights or duties
of the Agent may be  affected,  the Agent,  and then such  amendment,  waiver or
consent  shall be effective  only in the specific  instance and for the specific
purpose for which given.

     9.  Notices.  All notices and other  communications  hereunder  shall be in
writing and made in accordance with Section 8.2 of the Loan Agreement.

     10.  Conduct  No  Waiver;  Remedies  Cumulative.  The  obligations  of  the
Guarantor  under this Guaranty are continuing  obligations  and a fresh cause of
action shall arise in respect of each event of default  hereunder.  No course of
dealing  on the part of any Bank or the  Agent,  nor any delay or failure on the
part of any Bank or the  Agent  in  exercising  any  right,  power or  privilege
hereunder  shall  operate  as a waiver  of such  right,  power or  privilege  or
otherwise prejudice any Bank or the Agent's rights and remedies  hereunder;  nor
shall any single or partial  exercise  thereof  preclude  any  further  exercise
thereof or the  exercise of any other  right,  power or  privilege.  No right or
remedy  conferred upon or reserved to the Banks or the Agent under this Guaranty
is intended to be  exclusive  of any other right or remedy,  and every right and
remedy shall be cumulative  and in addition to every other right or remedy given
hereunder or now or hereafter existing under any applicable law. Every right and
remedy given by this Guaranty or by applicable law to the Banks or the Agent may
be exercised from time to time and as often as may be deemed expedient by them.

     11. Reliance on and Survival of Various Provisions.  All terms,  covenants,
agreements,  representations  and  warranties of the Guarantor made herein or in
any certificate or other document  delivered  pursuant hereto shall be deemed to
be  material  and  to  have  been  relied  upon  by  the  Banks  or  the  Agent,
notwithstanding  any investigation  heretofore or hereafter made by the Banks or
the Agent or on their behalf.
<PAGE>
                                       52

     12. No Investigation by the Banks or the Agent. The Guarantor hereby waives
unconditionally  any obligation  which,  in the absence of such  provision,  the
Banks or the Agent might  otherwise  have to investigate or to assure that there
has  been  compliance  with  the law of any  jurisdiction  with  respect  to the
Guaranteed  Obligations  recognizing  that,  to save both time and expense,  the
Guarantor  has  requested  that the  Banks  and the  Agent  not  undertake  such
investigation.  The Guarantor hereby expressly  confirms that the obligations of
the Guarantor  hereunder shall remain in full force and effect without regard to
compliance  or  noncompliance   with  any  such  law  and  irrespective  of  any
investigation or knowledge of any Bank or the Agent of any such law.

     13.  Governing Law. This Guaranty is a contract made under,  and the rights
and obligations of the parties hereunder,  shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Michigan applicable to contracts to be
made and to be performed  entirely with such State without  regard to the choice
of law principles of such State.

     14.  Headings.  The  headings  of the various  subdivisions  hereof are for
convenience  of  reference  only and shall in no way  modify any of its terms or
provisions hereof.

     15. Construction of Certain  Provisions.  If any provision of this Guaranty
refers  to any  action  to be  taken by any  person,  or which  such  person  is
prohibited from taking,  such provision shall be applicable  whether such action
is taken  directly  or  indirectly  by such  person,  whether  or not  expressly
specified in such provision.

     16.  Integration  and  Severability.  This  Guaranty  embodies  the  entire
agreement and understanding between the Guarantor,  the Banks and the Agent, and
supersedes all prior all agreements and understandings,  relating to the subject
matter hereof. In any case one or more of the obligations of the Guarantor under
this Guaranty shall be invalid,  illegal or unenforceable  in any  jurisdiction,
the validity,  legality and  enforceability of the remaining  obligations of the
Guarantor  shall  not in any way be  affected  or  impaired  thereby,  and  such
invalidity,  illegality or unenforceability in one jurisdiction shall not affect
the validity,  legality or  enforceability  of the  obligations of the Guarantor
under this Guaranty in any other jurisdiction.

     17. Indemnity.  As a separate,  additional and continuing  obligation,  the
Guarantor  unconditionally and irrevocably  undertakes and agrees with the Banks
and the Agent that,  should the Guaranteed  Obligations not be recoverable  from
the Guarantor under paragraph 1 for any reason  whatsoever  (including,  without
limitation,  by  reason  of any  provision  of the Loan  Agreement  or any other
agreement or instrument executed in connection therewith being or becoming void,
unenforceable,   or  otherwise   invalid   under  any   applicable   law)  then,
notwithstanding  any knowledge thereof by any Bank or the Agent at any time, the
Guarantor as sole, original and independent  obligor,  upon demand by the Agent,
will make payment to the Agent for the account of the Banks and the Agent of the
Guaranteed Obligations by way of a full indemnity in such currency and otherwise
in such manner as is provided in the Loan  Agreement or such other  agreement or
instrument, as the case may be.

     18. Subordination,  Subrogation, Etc. The Guarantor agrees that any present
or future  indebtedness,  obligations or liabilities of any Borrowing Subsidiary
to the Guarantor shall be fully  subordinate and junior in right and priority of
payment to any present or future indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of any
Borrowing  Subsidiary to the Banks and the Agent,  and the  Guarantor  shall not
exercise any right of subrogation, reimbursement or indemnity whatsoever nor any
right of recourse to security  for the debts and  obligations  of any  Borrowing
Subsidiary,  until the Loan  Agreement  shall expire or be terminated and all of
the  Guaranteed  Obligations  have been paid in full and are not  subject to any
right of revocation or rescission.
<PAGE>
                                       53

     19.  Jurisdiction  and Venue. The Guarantor agrees that any legal action or
proceeding  with  respect  to  this  Guaranty  or  the  Loan  Agreement  or  the
transactions  contemplated thereby may be brought only in any court in the State
of Michigan,  or any court of the United States of America  sitting in the State
of Michigan,  and the  Guarantor  hereby  submits to and accepts  generally  and
unconditionally  the jurisdiction of those courts with respect to its person and
property,  and irrevocably consents to the service of process in connection with
any such action or  proceeding  by  personal  delivery  to the  Guarantor  or by
mailing  thereof by  registered  or  certified  mail,  postage  prepaid,  to the
Guarantor  at its  address  as  provided  by it from time to time under the Loan
Agreements. Nothing in this paragraph shall affect the right of the Agent or any
Bank to serve process in any other manner permitted by law or limit the right of
the  Agent or any Bank to  bring  any such  action  or  proceeding  against  the
Guarantor or its property in the courts of any other jurisdiction. The Guarantor
hereby  irrevocably waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit
or proceeding in the above-described courts.

     20. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  THE AGENT,  THE BANKS AND THE  GUARANTOR,  AFTER
CONSULTING OR HAVING HAD THE  OPPORTUNITY  TO CONSULT WITH  COUNSEL,  KNOWINGLY,
VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT ANY OF THEM MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY
JURY IN ANY LITIGATION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF THIS GUARANTY OR ANY RELATED
INSTRUMENT  OR  AGREEMENT  OR ANY  OF  THE  TRANSACTIONS  CONTEMPLATED  BY  THIS
GUARANTY.  NEITHER  THE  AGENT,  ANY  BANK  NOR  THE  GUARANTOR  SHALL  SEEK  TO
CONSOLIDATE, BY COUNTERCLAIM OR OTHERWISE, ANY SUCH ACTION IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL
HAS BEEN WAIVED WITH ANY OTHER ACTION IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL CANNOT BE OR HAS NOT
BEEN WAIVED.  THESE  PROVISIONS SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN MODIFIED IN ANY
RESPECT OR  RELINQUISHED  BY THE AGENT,  ANY Bank OR THE  GUARANTOR  EXCEPT BY A
WRITTEN INSTRUMENT EXECUTED BY ALL OF THEM.

     21. Inapplicability of Surety Provisions. The parties hereby agree that the
Guarantor  is not a surety  within the  meaning  of Section  1341.03 of the Ohio
Revised Code.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  Guarantor  has caused  this  Guaranty to be duly
executed and delivered as of this 27th day of February, 1997


                                      INVACARE CORPORATION


                                      By: ____________________________________

                                      Its: _____________________________

<PAGE>
                                       54

                                   EXHIBIT B-2


                          SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY AGREEMENT


                  THIS SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY  AGREEMENT,  dated as of February 27,
1997 (this "Guaranty") made by ___________________, a _________ corporation (the
"Guarantor"),  in favor of the banks which are now, or may at any time hereafter
become,  parties to the Loan Agreement hereinafter defined (the "Banks") and NBD
BANK, a Michigan banking corporation,  as agent (in such capacity,  the "Agent")
for such Banks under the Loan Agreement.


                              W I T N E S S E T H:


     A. Invacare  Corporation,  an Ohio  corporation (the "Company") has entered
into a Loan  Agreement  dated as of even date  herewith  (as amended or modified
from  time to  time,  together  with  any  agreement  executed  in  exchange  or
replacement therefor, the "Loan Agreement", and all agreements,  instruments and
other documents  executed in connection  therewith,  collectively  with the Loan
Agreement  referred to as the "Loan  Agreements")  with the Agent and the Banks,
pursuant  to which  the Banks  have  agreed to make  Loans to the  Company  and,
subject to certain terms and conditions in the Loan  Agreement,  Subsidiaries of
the Company (the Company and such Subsidiaries  being  collectively  referred to
herein as the  "Borrowers")  subject  to the terms  and  conditions  of the Loan
Agreement; and

     B. As a condition to the obligation of the Banks under the Loan  Agreement,
the Guarantor is required to fully and  unconditionally  guarantee,  among other
things, the Loans and all other obligations of the Borrowers described herein;

     C. In consideration of the financial and other support that the Company has
provided,  and such financial and other support as the Company may in the future
provide,  to the  Guarantor,  and in order to induce  the Banks and the Agent to
enter  into the Loan  Agreement,  the  Guarantor  is willing  to  guarantee  the
obligations of the Borrowers under the Loan Agreement,  the Notes, and the other
Loan Documents;

     NOW,  THEREFORE,   as  an  inducement  to  the  Banks  to  enter  into  the
transactions  contemplated by the Loan Agreement,  the Guarantor agrees with the
Banks and the Agent as follows:

     1. Guarantee of Obligations.  (a) The Guarantor  hereby (i) guarantees,  as
principal  obligor and not as surety only, to the Banks and the Agent the prompt
payment  of the  principal  of and any  and  all  accrued  and  unpaid  interest
(including  interest  which  otherwise  may cease to accrue by  operation of any
insolvency law, rule, regulation or interpretation thereof) on the Loans made to
any of the  Borrowers  and all other loans or advances by any Bank to any of the
Borrowers,  or other  obligations  of any of the  Borrowers to the Agent and the
Banks,  including without  limitation  foreign exchange loans and advances which
are not made pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement,  all when due, whether
by scheduled  maturity,  acceleration  or otherwise,  all in accordance with the
terms of the Loan  Agreements  and any and all other  present or future  amounts
which may be  payable  by any of the  Borrowers  to any Bank or the Agent at any
time in connection  with or pursuant to the Loan Documents,  including,  without
limitation, default interest,  indemnification payments and all reasonable costs
and expenses  incurred by the Banks and the Agent in connection  with  enforcing
any obligations of the Borrowers  thereunder,  including without  limitation the
reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of counsel,  (ii) guarantees the prompt and
punctual  performance  and  observance  of each  and  every  term,  covenant  or
agreement  contained  in each Loan  Document to be  performed or observed on the
part of any of the  Borrowers,  and (iii)  agrees  to make  prompt  payment,  on
demand,  of any and all reasonable  costs and expenses  incurred by the Banks or
the  Agent  in  connection  with  enforcing  the  obligations  of the  Guarantor
hereunder,  including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements
of counsel (all of the  foregoing  described in (i),  (ii) and (iii) whether now
existing or hereafter arising, being collectively referred to as the "Guaranteed
Obligations").
<PAGE>
                                       55

     (b) If for any  reason  any duty,  agreement  or  obligation  of any of the
Borrowers contained in the Loan Agreements shall not be performed or observed by
the relevant Borrower as provided therein,  or if any amount payable under or in
connection  with the Loan  Agreements  shall  not be paid in full  when the same
becomes due and  payable,  the  Guarantor  undertakes  to perform or cause to be
performed  promptly each of such duties,  agreements and  obligations and to pay
forthwith each such amount to the Agent for the account of the Banks  regardless
of any defense or setoff or counterclaim  which any of the Borrowers may have or
assert, and regardless of any other condition or contingency.

     (c) The date and amount of the Guaranteed  Obligations shown upon the books
and records of each respective Bank and in any certificate delivered by any Bank
to the Guarantor in respect  thereof shall be prima facie evidence of the amount
owing and  unpaid the  Guaranteed  Obligations.  The  failure to record any such
information  on such books and records  shall not,  however,  limit or otherwise
affect  the  obligations  of  any of  the  Borrowers  to  repay  the  Guaranteed
Obligations or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder with respect thereto.

     2. Nature of Guaranty.  This Guaranty is an absolute and  unconditional and
irrevocable  guaranty of payment and not a guaranty of collection  and is wholly
independent of and in addition to other rights and remedies of the Banks and the
Agent and is not  contingent  upon the pursuit by the Banks and the Agent of any
such rights and remedies, such pursuit being hereby waived by the Guarantor.

     3. Waivers and Other Agreements.  The Guarantor hereby  unconditionally (a)
waives any  requirement  that the Banks or the Agent,  upon the occurrence of an
"Event of  Default"  (as defined in the Loan  Agreement)  or an event of default
under any of the other  Loan  Agreements  by any of the  Borrowers,  first  make
demand upon, or seek to enforce  remedies  against,  any or all of the Borrowers
before  demanding  payment  under or  seeking  to  enforce  this  Guaranty,  (b)
covenants  that  this  Guaranty  will  not  be  discharged  except  by  complete
performance  of  all  obligations  of  the  Borrowers   contained  in  the  Loan
Agreements,  (c) agrees that this Guaranty shall remain in full force and effect
without regard to, and shall not be affected or impaired, without limitation, by
any invalidity, irregularity or unenforceability in whole or in part of the Loan
Agreements,  or any  limitation  on  the  liability  of  any  of  the  Borrowers
thereunder, or any limitation on the method or terms of payment thereunder which
may now or hereafter be caused or imposed in any manner  whatsoever,  (d) waives
diligence, presentment and protest with respect to, and any notice of default or
dishonor  in  the  payment  of any  amount  at any  time  payable  by any of the
Borrowers  under or in connection with the Loan  Agreements,  and further waives
any requirement of notice of acceptance of, or other formality relating to, this
Guaranty  and (e) agrees  that the  Guaranteed  Obligations  shall  include  any
amounts  paid by any of the  Borrowers  to any Bank or the  Agent  which  may be
required to be returned to any of the Borrowers,  or to its representative or to
a trustee,  custodian or receiver for any of the  Borrowers,  and this  Guaranty
shall continue to be effective,  or be reinstated,  as the case may be, with the
respect to any amounts which may be required to be so returned.

     4. Obligations Absolute. The obligations,  covenants, agreements and duties
of the Guarantor under this Guaranty shall not be released, affected or impaired
by any of the following  whether or not undertaken  with notice to or consent of
the Guarantor: (a) any assignment or transfer, in whole or in part, of the Loans
made to the Borrowers or the Loan Agreements  although made without notice to or
consent of the Guarantor,  or (b) any waiver by any Bank or the Agent, or by any
other person, of the performance or observance by any of the Borrowers of any of
the agreements, covenants, terms or conditions contained in the Loan Agreements,
or (c) any  indulgence in or the extension of the time for payment by any of the
Borrowers  of  any  amounts  payable  under  or  in  connection  with  the  Loan
Agreements,  or of the time for performance by any of the Borrowers of any other
obligations  under or arising out of the Loan  Agreements,  or the  extension or
renewal thereof, or (d) the modification,  amendment or waiver (whether material
or otherwise)  of any duty,  agreement or obligation of any of the Borrowers set
forth in the Loan Agreements (the modification, amendment or waiver from time to
time of the Loan Agreements being expressly authorized without further notice to
or consent of the Guarantor),  or (e) the voluntary or involuntary  liquidation,
sale or other  disposition of all or  substantially  all of the assets of any of
the Borrowers, or any receivership,  insolvency, bankruptcy,  reorganization, or
other  similar  proceedings,  affecting  any of the  Borrowers  or any of  their
assets,  or (f) the  merger  or  consolidation  of any of the  Borrowers  or the
Guarantor  with any other person,  or (g) the release or discharge of any of the
Borrowers or the Guarantor from the  performance or observance of any agreement,
covenant,  term or condition  contained in the Loan Agreements,  by operation of
law, or (h) any other cause whether similar or dissimilar to the foregoing which
would release, affect or impair the obligations, covenants, agreements or duties
of the Guarantor hereunder.
<PAGE>
                                       56

     5.  Foreign   Currency.   This  Guaranty   arises  in  the  context  of  an
international transaction,  and the specification of payment in foreign currency
to the Agent and the Banks pursuant to the Loan Agreement is of the essence. The
foreign  currency  shall be the  currency of account and payment  under the Loan
Agreements. The obligation of the Guarantor shall not be discharged by an amount
paid in any other currency or at another place,  whether  pursuant to a judgment
or otherwise,  to the extent that the amount so paid, on prompt  conversion into
the  foreign  currency  and  transfer  to the Agent and the Banks  under  normal
banking procedure,  does not yield the amount of foreign currency due under this
Guaranty.  In the event that any  payment,  whether  pursuant  to a judgment  or
otherwise,  upon  conversion  and  transfer,  does not  result in payment of the
amount of  foreign  currency  due under this  Guaranty,  the Agent and the Banks
shall have an independent  cause of action against the Guarantor for the foreign
currency deficiency.

     6. Events of Default.  The occurrence of any "Event of Default" (as defined
in the Loan Agreement)  shall be deemed an "event of default"  hereunder  unless
waived by the Banks pursuant to paragraph 8.

     7. Remedies.  Upon the occurrence and during the  continuance of such event
of default,  the Agent may,  and upon being  directed  to do so by the  Required
Banks,  shall enforce its rights either by suit in equity,  or by action at law,
or by other appropriate  proceedings,  whether for the specific  performance (to
the extent  permitted  by law) of any  covenant or  agreement  contained in this
Guaranty or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Guaranty and may
enforce payment under this Guaranty and any of its other rights available at law
or in equity.

     8. Amendments,  Etc. This Guaranty may be amended from time to time and any
provision  hereof may be waived in accordance  with the  requirements of Section
8.1 of the Loan  Agreement.  No  amendment  or waiver of any  provision  of this
Guaranty  nor  consent to any  departure  by the  Guarantor  therefrom  shall be
effective  unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Required  Banks
or all of the Banks, as the case may be, and, to the extent any rights or duties
of the Agent may be  affected,  the Agent,  and then such  amendment,  waiver or
consent  shall be effective  only in the specific  instance and for the specific
purpose for which given.

     9.  Notices.  All notices and other  communications  hereunder  shall be in
writing and made in accordance with Section 8.2 of the Loan Agreement.

     10.  Conduct  No  Waiver;  Remedies  Cumulative.  The  obligations  of  the
Guarantor  under this Guaranty are continuing  obligations  and a fresh cause of
action shall arise in respect of each event of default  hereunder.  No course of
dealing  on the part of any Bank or the  Agent,  nor any delay or failure on the
part of any Bank or the  Agent  in  exercising  any  right,  power or  privilege
hereunder  shall  operate  as a waiver  of such  right,  power or  privilege  or
otherwise prejudice any Bank or the Agent's rights and remedies  hereunder;  nor
shall any single or partial  exercise  thereof  preclude  any  further  exercise
thereof or the  exercise of any other  right,  power or  privilege.  No right or
remedy  conferred upon or reserved to the Banks or the Agent under this Guaranty
is intended to be  exclusive  of any other right or remedy,  and every right and
remedy shall be cumulative  and in addition to every other right or remedy given
hereunder or now or hereafter existing under any applicable law. Every right and
remedy given by this Guaranty or by applicable law to the Banks or the Agent may
be exercised from time to time and as often as may be deemed expedient by them.
<PAGE>
                                       57

     11. Reliance on and Survival of Various Provisions.  All terms,  covenants,
agreements,  representations  and  warranties of the Guarantor made herein or in
any certificate or other document  delivered  pursuant hereto shall be deemed to
be  material  and  to  have  been  relied  upon  by  the  Banks  or  the  Agent,
notwithstanding  any investigation  heretofore or hereafter made by the Banks or
the Agent or on their behalf.

     12. No Investigation by the Banks or the Agent. The Guarantor hereby waives
unconditionally  any obligation  which,  in the absence of such  provision,  the
Banks or the Agent might  otherwise  have to investigate or to assure that there
has  been  compliance  with  the law of any  jurisdiction  with  respect  to the
Guaranteed  Obligations  recognizing  that,  to save both time and expense,  the
Guarantor  has  requested  that the  Banks  and the  Agent  not  undertake  such
investigation.  The Guarantor hereby expressly  confirms that the obligations of
the Guarantor  hereunder shall remain in full force and effect without regard to
compliance  or  noncompliance   with  any  such  law  and  irrespective  of  any
investigation or knowledge of any Bank or the Agent of any such law.

     13.  Governing Law. This Guaranty is a contract made under,  and the rights
and obligations of the parties hereunder,  shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Michigan applicable to contracts to be
made and to be performed  entirely with such State without  regard to the choice
of law principles of such State.

     14.  Headings.  The  headings  of the various  subdivisions  hereof are for
convenience  of  reference  only and shall in no way  modify any of its terms or
provisions hereof.

     15. Construction of Certain  Provisions.  If any provision of this Guaranty
refers  to any  action  to be  taken by any  person,  or which  such  person  is
prohibited from taking,  such provision shall be applicable  whether such action
is taken  directly  or  indirectly  by such  person,  whether  or not  expressly
specified in such provision.

     16.  Integration  and  Severability.  This  Guaranty  embodies  the  entire
agreement and understanding between the Guarantor,  the Banks and the Agent, and
supersedes all prior all agreements and understandings,  relating to the subject
matter hereof. In any case one or more of the obligations of the Guarantor under
this Guaranty shall be invalid,  illegal or unenforceable  in any  jurisdiction,
the validity,  legality and  enforceability of the remaining  obligations of the
Guarantor  shall  not in any way be  affected  or  impaired  thereby,  and  such
invalidity,  illegality or unenforceability in one jurisdiction shall not affect
the validity,  legality or  enforceability  of the  obligations of the Guarantor
under this Guaranty in any other jurisdiction.

     17. Indemnity.  As a separate,  additional and continuing  obligation,  the
Guarantor  unconditionally and irrevocably  undertakes and agrees with the Banks
and the Agent that,  should the Guaranteed  Obligations not be recoverable  from
the Guarantor under paragraph 1 for any reason  whatsoever  (including,  without
limitation,  by  reason  of any  provision  of the Loan  Agreement  or any other
agreement or instrument executed in connection therewith being or becoming void,
unenforceable,   or  otherwise   invalid   under  any   applicable   law)  then,
notwithstanding  any knowledge thereof by any Bank or the Agent at any time, the
Guarantor as sole, original and independent  obligor,  upon demand by the Agent,
will make payment to the Agent for the account of the Banks and the Agent of the
Guaranteed Obligations by way of a full indemnity in such currency and otherwise
in such manner as is provided in the Loan  Agreement or such other  agreement or
instrument, as the case may be.

     18. Subordination,  Subrogation, Etc. The Guarantor agrees that any present
or future  indebtedness,  obligations  or  liabilities  of any  Borrower  to the
Guarantor shall be fully subordinate and junior in right and priority of payment
to any  present  or  future  indebtedness,  obligations  or  liabilities  of any
Borrower to the Banks and the Agent,  and the  Guarantor  shall not exercise any
right of  subrogation,  reimbursement  or indemnity  whatsoever nor any right of
recourse to security for the debts and  obligations  of any Borrower,  until the
Loan  Agreement  shall  expire  or be  terminated  and  all  of  the  Guaranteed
Obligations  have  been  paid  in  full  and are not  subject  to any  right  of
revocation or  rescission,  all as more fully set forth in the  Subrogation  and
Contribution  Agreement  of even date  herewith (as the same shall be amended or
modified from time to time) among the Guarantors and the Company.
<PAGE>
                                       58

     19.  Limitation  on  Obligations.  (a) It is the  intention  of each of the
Guarantor,  the  other  Guarantors  and the Banks  that each of the  Guarantor's
obligations  hereunder  shall be equal to, but not in excess of, as of any date,
the greater of the following (such greater amount determined hereunder being the
relevant  Guarantor's  "Maximum  Liability"):  (i) the  aggregate  amount of all
monies received by the Guarantor from the Company after the date hereof (whether
by loan,  capital  infusion or other  means),  or (ii) the maximum  amount (such
amount being the Guarantor's "Alternative  Limitation") not subject to avoidance
under Title 11 of the United  States  Code,  as same may be amended from time to
time, or any applicable state law (collectively, the "Bankruptcy Code"). To that
end, but as to the Alternative  Limitation of the Guarantor,  only to the extent
such  obligations  would  otherwise be subject to avoidance under the Bankruptcy
Code if the  Guarantor is not deemed to have  received  valuable  consideration,
fair value or reasonably  equivalent  value for its obligations  hereunder,  any
Guarantor's  obligations  hereunder shall be reduced to that amount which, after
giving effect thereto,  would not render the Guarantor  insolvent,  or leave the
Guarantor with an unreasonably  small capital to conduct its business,  or cause
the Guarantor to have incurred debts (or intended to have incurred debts) beyond
its ability to pay such debts as they mature,  at the time such  obligations are
deemed to have been incurred  under the  Bankruptcy  Code.  As used herein,  the
terms "insolvent" and "unreasonably  small capital" shall likewise be determined
in accordance with the Bankruptcy Code. This paragraph 19(a) with respect to the
Alternative  Limitation  of the  Guarantor  is intended  solely to preserve  the
rights of the Agent  hereunder  to the maximum  extent not subject to  avoidance
under the  Bankruptcy  Code,  and neither the  Guarantor nor any other person or
entity shall have any right or claim under this paragraph  19(a) with respect to
the  Alternative  Limitation,  except  to  the  extent  necessary  so  that  the
obligations of the Guarantor  hereunder shall not be rendered voidable under the
Bankruptcy Code.

     (b) The Guarantor  agrees that the Guaranteed  Obligations  may at any time
and from  time-to-time  exceed the Maximum  Liability of the Guarantor,  and may
exceed  the  aggregate  Maximum  Liability  of  all  other  Guarantors,  without
impairing  this  Guaranty  or  affecting  the rights and  remedies  of the Agent
hereunder.  Nothing in this  paragraph  19(b) shall be construed to increase the
Guarantor's obligations hereunder beyond its Maximum Liability.

     (c) The Guarantor shall have the rights of subrogation and  contribution as
described in the  Subrogation and  Contribution  Agreement of even date herewith
among the Guarantors and the Company, as amended from time to time.

     20. Representations and Warranties.  The Guarantors represents and warrants
(which  representations and warranties shall be deemed to have been renewed upon
each request for a Loan under the Loan Agreement) that:

     (a) it (i) is a corporation  duly organized,  validly  existing and in good
standing  under  the laws of its  jurisdiction  of  incorporation;  (ii) has all
requisite  corporate  power,  and  has  all  material   governmental   licenses,
authorizations,  consents and approvals necessary to own its assets and carry on
its business as now being or as proposed to be conducted; and (iii) is qualified
to do  business  in all  jurisdictions  in  which  the  nature  of the  business
conducted  by it makes  such  qualification  necessary  and where  failure so to
qualify  would not have a material  adverse  effect on the business or financial
condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

     (b) it has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute,  deliver
and perform its  obligations  under this Guaranty;  the execution,  delivery and
performance  of  this  Guaranty  have  been  duly  authorized  by all  necessary
corporate  action;  and this  Guaranty  has been duly and validly  executed  and
delivered  by it and  constitutes  its  legal,  valid  and  binding  obligation,
enforceable in accordance with its terms,  except as the enforceability  thereof
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or moratorium or other
similar laws relating to the enforcement of creditors'  rights  generally and by
general equitable principles.
<PAGE>
                                       59

     (c)  neither  the  execution  and  delivery  by it  of  this  Guaranty  nor
compliance with the terms and provisions  hereof will conflict with or result in
a breach of, or require any consent under,  its certificate of  incorporation or
organization  or  by-laws  or  operating  agreement  or  any  applicable  law or
regulation,   or  any  order,  writ,  injunction  or  decree  of  any  court  or
governmental  authority or agency, or any agreement or instrument to which it is
a party or by which it is bound  or to  which it is  subject,  or  constitute  a
default  under any such  agreement or  instrument,  or result in the creation or
imposition of any Lien upon any of its revenues or assets  pursuant to the terms
of any such agreement or instrument.

     21.  Joint  and  Several  Obligations.  The  obligations  of the  Guarantor
hereunder  shall be several and also joint each with all or with any one or more
of  the  other  parties  now or  hereafter  guaranteeing  any of the  Guaranteed
Obligations, and such obligations of the Guarantors may be enforced against each
Guarantor  separately  or  against  any two or more  jointly,  or  against  some
separately and some jointly.

     22.  Jurisdiction  and Venue. The Guarantor agrees that any legal action or
proceeding  with  respect  to  this  Guaranty  or  the  Loan  Agreement  or  the
transactions  contemplated thereby may be brought only in any court in the State
of Michigan,  or any court of the United States of America  sitting in the State
of Michigan,  and the  Guarantor  hereby  submits to and accepts  generally  and
unconditionally  the jurisdiction of those courts with respect to its person and
property,  and irrevocably consents to the service of process in connection with
any such action or  proceeding  by  personal  delivery  to the  Guarantor  or by
mailing  thereof by  registered  or  certified  mail,  postage  prepaid,  to the
Guarantor  at its  address  as  provided  by it from time to time under the Loan
Agreements. Nothing in this paragraph shall affect the right of the Agent or any
Bank to serve process in any other manner permitted by law or limit the right of
the  Agent or any Bank to  bring  any such  action  or  proceeding  against  the
Guarantor or its property in the courts of any other jurisdiction. The Guarantor
hereby  irrevocably waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit
or proceeding in the above-described courts.

     23. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  THE AGENT,  THE BANKS AND THE  GUARANTOR,  AFTER
CONSULTING OR HAVING HAD THE  OPPORTUNITY  TO CONSULT WITH  COUNSEL,  KNOWINGLY,
VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT ANY OF THEM MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY
JURY IN ANY LITIGATION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF THIS GUARANTY OR ANY RELATED
INSTRUMENT  OR  AGREEMENT  OR ANY  OF  THE  TRANSACTIONS  CONTEMPLATED  BY  THIS
GUARANTY.  NEITHER  THE  AGENT,  ANY  BANK  NOR  THE  GUARANTOR  SHALL  SEEK  TO
CONSOLIDATE, BY COUNTERCLAIM OR OTHERWISE, ANY SUCH ACTION IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL
HAS BEEN WAIVED WITH ANY OTHER ACTION IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL CANNOT BE OR HAS NOT
BEEN WAIVED.  THESE  PROVISIONS SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN MODIFIED IN ANY
RESPECT OR  RELINQUISHED  BY THE AGENT,  ANY Bank OR THE  GUARANTOR  EXCEPT BY A
WRITTEN INSTRUMENT EXECUTED BY ALL OF THEM.

     24. Inapplicability of Surety Provisions. The parties hereby agree that the
Guarantor  is not a surety  within the  meaning  of Section  1341.03 of the Ohio
Revised Code.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  Guarantor  has caused  this  Guaranty to be duly
executed and delivered as of this 27th day of February, 1997.





                                      By: ____________________________________

                                      Its: _____________________________

<PAGE>
                                       60

                                   EXHIBIT C

                              REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE


                  FOR VALUE RECEIVED,  INVACARE CORPORATION, an Ohio corporation
(the    "Borrower"),    hereby    promises    to   pay   to   the    order    of
_________________________,  a  ________________  (the "Bank"),  at the principal
banking  office of the Agent in lawful money of the United States of America and
in  immediately  available  funds,  the principal  sum of  _____________________
Dollars ($_______________), or such lesser amount of all unpaid Revolving Credit
Loans as recorded in the books and records of the Bank, on the Termination Date;
and to pay  interest on the unpaid  principal  balance  hereof from time to time
outstanding,  in like money and funds, for the period from the date hereof until
the Revolving  Credit Loans evidenced hereby shall be paid in full, at the rates
per annum and on the dates provided in the Loan Agreement referred to below.

                  The Bank is hereby authorized by the Borrower to record on its
books and records,  the date, amount and type of each Revolving Credit Loan, the
duration  of the related  Interest  Period (if  applicable),  the amount of each
payment or prepayment of principal  thereon and the other  information  provided
for in such books and  records,  which such books and records  shall  constitute
prima facie evidence of the information so recorded, provided, however, that any
failure  by the Bank to  record  any such  information  shall  not  relieve  the
Borrower of its  obligation to repay the  outstanding  principal  amount of such
Revolving Credit Loans, all accrued interest thereon and any amount payable with
respect thereto in accordance  with the terms of this Revolving  Credit Note and
the Loan Agreement.

                  The Borrower  and each  endorser or  guarantor  hereof  waives
demand,  presentment,  protest,  diligence,  notice  of  dishonor  and any other
formality in connection with this Revolving Credit Note. Should the indebtedness
evidenced by this Revolving  Credit Note or any part thereof be collected in any
proceeding or be placed in the hands of attorneys for  collection,  the Borrower
agrees to pay,  in addition to the  principal,  interest  and other sums due and
payable hereon,  all costs of collecting this Revolving  Credit Note,  including
attorneys' fees and expenses  (including without limitation  allocated costs and
expenses of attorneys who are employees of the Bank).

                  This  Revolving  Credit Note  evidences one or more  Revolving
Credit  Loans made under a Loan  Agreement,  dated as of  February  27, 1997 (as
amended  or  modified  from time to time,  the "Loan  Agreement"),  by and among
Invacare  Corporation,  an Ohio corporation (the "Company"),  certain  Borrowing
Subsidiaries  designated  therein  from  time to  time  (collectively  with  the
Company, the "Borrowers"),  the banks (including the Bank) named therein and NBD
Bank, as agent for the banks,  to which reference is hereby made for a statement
of the  circumstances  under  which  this  Revolving  Credit  Note is subject to
prepayment and under which its due date may be  accelerated.  Capitalized  terms
used but not defined in this  Revolving  Credit  Note shall have the  respective
meanings assigned to them in the Loan Agreement.

                  This  Revolving  Credit  Note  is made  under,  and  shall  be
governed by and construed in accordance  with, the laws of the State of Michigan
in the same manner  applicable  to contracts  made and to be performed  entirely
within such State and without  giving effect to choice of law principles of such
State.

                       INVACARE CORPORATION

                       By:__________________________________

                       Its:_________________________________

<PAGE>
                                       61

                                    EXHIBIT D

                                 SWING LINE NOTE

$10,000,000                                                   February 27, 1997

                  FOR VALUE RECEIVED,  Invacare Corporation, an Ohio corporation
(the  "Borrower"),  promises to pay to the order of The First  National  Bank of
Chicago, a national banking  association (the "Bank"),  at the principal banking
office of the Agent in  lawful  money of the  United  States of  America  and in
immediately   available   funds,  the  principal  sum  of  Ten  Million  Dollars
($10,000,000)  or such lesser  amount of unpaid  Swing Line Loans as recorded in
the books and records of the Bank, on the Termination  Date; and to pay interest
on the unpaid principal  balance hereof from time to time  outstanding,  in like
money and funds,  for the period from the date hereof until the Swing Line Loans
evidenced  hereby shall be paid in full, at the rates per annum and on the dates
provided in the Loan Agreement referred to below.

                  The Bank is hereby authorized by the Borrower to record on its
books and  records,  the date,  amount and type of each  Swing  Line  Loan,  the
duration  of the related  Interest  Period (if  applicable),  the amount of each
payment or prepayment of principal  thereon and the other  information  provided
for on such schedule,  which schedule or such books and records, as the case may
be,  shall  constitute  prima facie  evidence of the  information  so  recorded,
provided,  however,  that any failure by the Bank to record any such information
shall not  relieve  the  Borrower  of its  obligation  to repay the  outstanding
principal  amount of such Swing Line Loans, all accrued interest thereon and any
amount payable with respect  thereto in accordance  with the terms of this Swing
Line Note and the Loan Agreement.

                  The Borrower  and each  endorser or  guarantor  hereof  waives
demand,  presentment,  protest,  diligence,  notice  of  dishonor  and any other
formality  in  connection  with this Swing Line  Note.  Should the  indebtedness
evidenced  by this  Swing  Line Note or any part  thereof  be  collected  in any
proceeding or be placed in the hands of attorneys for  collection,  the Borrower
agrees to pay,  in addition to the  principal,  interest  and other sums due and
payable  hereon,  all  costs of  collecting  this  Swing  Line  Note,  including
attorneys' fees and expenses.

                  This  Swing Line Note  evidences  one or more Swing Line Loans
made  under a Loan  Agreement,  dated as of  February  27,  1997 (as  amended or
modified  from  time to time,  the  "Loan  Agreement"),  by and  among  Invacare
Corporation,  an Ohio corporation (the  "Company"),  the Borrowing  Subsidiaries
designated  therein  from  time to time  (collectively  with  the  Company,  the
"Borrowers"),  the banks  (including  the Bank) named  therein and NBD Bank,  as
agent for the banks,  to which  reference  is hereby made for a statement of the
circumstances  under  which this Swing  Line Note is subject to  prepayment  and
under  which  its due  date  may be  accelerated  and for a  description  of the
collateral and security  securing this Swing Line Note.  Capitalized  terms used
but not  defined in this Swing  Line Note  shall  have the  respective  meanings
assigned to them in the Loan Agreement.

                  This Swing Line Note is made  under,  and shall be governed by
and construed in accordance  with, the laws of the State of Michigan in the same
manner  applicable to contracts  made and to be performed  entirely  within such
State and without giving effect to choice of law principles of such State.

                              INVACARE CORPORATION


                              By:__________________________________

                              Its:_________________________________


<PAGE>
                                       62

                                    EXHIBIT E

                                REQUEST FOR LOAN

To each Bank party to the  referenced  Loan Agreement c/o NBD Bank, as Agent for
the Banks 611 Woodward Avenue Detroit, Michigan 48226

Attention: Midwest Banking Division


                  Invacare Corporation,  (the "Treasury Manager"),  on behalf of
the  Borrowers  referred  to below,  hereby  requests a  Revolving  Credit  Loan
pursuant to Section 2.5 of the Loan Agreement, dated as of February 27, 1997 (as
amended or modified from time to time,  the "Loan  Agreement"),  among  Invacare
Corporation,  an Ohio corporation (the  "Company"),  the Borrowing  Subsidiaries
designated from time to time (collectively  with the Company,  the "Borrowers"),
the Banks referenced therein and you, as Agent for the Banks.

                  A Revolving  Credit Loan is requested to be made in the amount
of $_________ to be made on ____________,  19___ for the account of ____________
(specify Designated  Borrower) and evidenced by the Borrowers'  Revolving Credit
Notes. Such Loan shall be a [insert Interbank Offered Rate Loan or Floating Rate
Loan] and the initial  Interest  Period,  if such requested Loan is a Fixed Rate
Loan, shall be [insert permitted Interest Period].

                  In support of this request, the Treasury Manager, on behalf of
the Borrowers, hereby represents and warrants to the Agent and the Banks that:

                  1. The representations  and warranties  contained in Article 4
of the Credit Agreement are true and correct in all material  respects on and as
of the date hereof, and will be true and correct in all material respects on the
date such Loan is made (both  before  and after  such Loan is made),  as if such
representations and warranties were made on and as of such dates.

                  2.  No  Event  of  Default  or  Default  has  occurred  and is
continuing  or will  exist on the date such Loan is made and such Loan shall not
cause an Event of Default or Default.

Acceptance  of the  proceeds of such Loan by the  Designated  Borrower  shall be
deemed to be a further  representation  and warranty by the  Borrowers  that the
representations  and warranties made herein are true and correct in all material
respects at the time such proceeds are disbursed. Capitalized terms used but not
defined herein shall have the respective  meanings  assigned to them in the Loan
Agreement.

                              INVACARE CORPORATION


                              By: ______________________________________

                              Its: ____________________________________



Dated: ________________, 199_

<PAGE>
                                       63

                                    EXHIBIT F

                               OPINION OF COUNSEL

                                February 27, 1997

The  First  National  Bank  of  Chicago  National  City  Bank  KeyBank  National
Association Societe Generale, Chicago Branch Sun Trust Bank, Central Florida, NA
Wachovia  Bank of  Georgia,  NA PNC  Bank,  NA  Commerzbank  Aktiengesellschaft,
Chicago Branch The Sanwa Bank, Limited,  Chicago Branch The Bank of New York NBD
Bank, as Agent

c/o NBD Bank, as Agent
611 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48226

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We refer to the Loan Agreement dated as of February 27, 1997 (the "Loan
Agreement")  by  and  among  Invacare  Corporation,  an  Ohio  corporation  (the
"Company"),  the banks  parties  thereto (the  "Banks") and NBD Bank, a Michigan
corporation,  as agent for the Banks (in such  capacity,  the "Agent").  We have
been requested by the Company and the  Guarantors  listed on Schedule A attached
hereto  (the  "Domestic  Guarantors")  to give our  opinion  pursuant to Section
2.6(f) of the Loan Agreement  and, for purposes of this opinion,  the terms used
in this  opinion,  which  are not  defined  herein,  shall  have the  respective
meanings  set forth in the Loan  Agreement.  As used herein,  "Ohio  Guarantors"
shall mean Canyon Products  Corporation,  Invacare Credit Corporation,  Invacare
International  Corporation  and  Invacare  Holdings  Corporation,  each  an Ohio
corporation.

         We have examined the following documents and instruments:  (i) the Loan
Agreement,  (ii) the  Notes,  (iii) the  Guaranties,  (iv) the  Subrogation  and
Contribution Agreement,  (vi) the Second Amendment to Loan Agreement dated as of
February 27, 1997 among the Company, the Borrowing Subsidiaries defined therein,
the banks party thereto (including some of the Banks) and NBD Bank, as agent for
such banks, and (vi) other documents  relating to the transactions  contemplated
by the Loan Agreement  (collectively,  items (i) through (vi) are referred to as
the "Loan Documents"). We have also examined and relied upon certified copies of
the Company's and the Domestic  Guarantor's  articles of incorporation,  by-laws
and board of directors  resolutions  authorizing the Company's and each Domestic
Guarantor's   participation  in  the  transactions   contemplated  by  the  Loan
Agreement.  We have also copies of all such documents and records of the Company
and the Domestic  Guarantors and all such other documents and records,  and have
made such  investigations  of law, as we have deemed necessary and relevant as a
basis  for  our  opinion.   With  respect  to  material   factual   matters  not
independently established by us, we have relied upon certificates of officers of
the Company and the Domestic Guarantors, which reliance we deemed appropriate in
the circumstances.

         Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that:

         1. Each of the Company and each Ohio  Corporation is a corporation duly
organized,  validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of
Ohio, and each is duly qualified to do business, and is in good standing, in all
additional  jurisdictions where such qualification is necessary under applicable
law,  except  where the failure to so qualify to be so would not have a material
adverse  effect on the business and  financial  condition of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Each of the Company and each Ohio Corporation has
all  requisite  corporate  power  to own or  lease  the  properties  used in its
business  and to carry on its business as now being  conducted.  The Company and
each Ohio  Corporation has all requisite  corporate power to execute and deliver
the Loan  Documents  to which it is a party and to  engage  in the  transactions
contemplated by the Loan Documents.
<PAGE>
                                       64

         2. The  execution,  delivery  and  performance  by the Company and each
Domestic  Guarantor  of the Loan  Documents  have  been duly  authorized  by all
necessary  corporate  action and are not in  contravention  of any law,  rule or
regulation,  or any judgment,  decree, writ,  injunction,  order or award of any
arbitrator, court or governmental authority, or of the terms of the Company's or
any Domestic  Guarantor's  charter or by-laws,  or of any  material  contract or
undertaking  to which the  Company or any  Domestic  Guarantor  is a party or by
which the Company or any Domestic Guarantor or any of their respective  property
may be bound or  affected,  and will not  result in the  imposition  of any Lien
except for Permitted Liens.

         3. The Loan Documents to which the Company or any Domestic Guarantor is
a party are the legal,  valid and  binding  obligations  of the Company and each
Domestic Guarantor  enforceable  against the Company and each Domestic Guarantor
in accordance with their respective terms.

          4. Schedule 4.4 of the Loan  Agreement  correctly  sets forth the 
corporate name,  jurisdiction of incorporation and ownership of each Subsidiary 
of the Company.

         5. To the best of our knowledge and except as set forth in Schedule 4.5
of the Loan  Agreement,  there  is no  action,  suit or  proceeding  pending  or
threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries before or
by any court,  governmental authority or arbitrator,  which if adversely decided
might result,  either  individually  or  collectively,  in any material  adverse
change in the business,  properties,  operations  or financial  condition of the
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole or in any material adverse
effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Loan Agreement and, to
the best of the Company's knowledge, there is no basis for any such action, suit
or proceeding.

         6.  No  consent,   approval  or   authorization   of  or   declaration,
registration or filing with any  governmental  authority or any  nongovernmental
person  or  entity,  including  without  limitation  any  creditor,   lessor  or
stockholder of the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  is required on the part
of the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with the execution,  delivery and
performance of the Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby or as
a condition to the legality,  validity or  enforceability of the Loan Documents,
except  where the failure to obtain such  consents,  approvals,  authorizations,
declarations,  registrations or filings would not have a material adverse effect
on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole..

         This opinion is subject to the  qualifications  that the enforcement of
the rights  and  remedies  set forth in the Loan  Documents  are  subject to the
effect of applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and other similar laws affecting the
enforcement of creditors'  rights generally,  and general  principles of equity,
whether applied in a proceeding at law or in equity.


                                Very truly yours,
<PAGE>
                                       65

                                    EXHIBIT G

                           REQUEST FOR CONTINUATION OR
                               CONVERSION OF LOAN

                                     [Date]


To each Bank party to the  referenced  Loan  Agreement c/o NBD Bank as Agent for
the Banks 611 Woodward Avenue Detroit, Michigan 48226

Attention:  Midwest Banking Division


                  Invacare  Corporation,  (the "Treasury  Manager") on behalf of
the  Borrowers  referred to below,  hereby  requests that  $____________  of the
principal amount of the Loan originally made on  ____________,  19__, which Loan
is  currently a [insert type of Loan],  be continued as or converted  to, as the
case may be, a [insert type of Loan requested] on ______________,  19__. If such
Loan is  requested  to be  converted  to an  Interbank  Offered  Rate Loan,  the
Borrower  hereby  elects an Interest  Period for such Loan of [insert  permitted
Interest Period].

                  In support of this request, the Treasury Manager, on behalf of
the Borrowers, hereby represents and warrants to the Agent and the Banks that:

                  1. The representations  and warranties  contained in Article 4
of the Loan Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of
the date hereof,  and will be true and correct in all  material  respects on the
date such Loan is  [continued][converted]  (both  before  and after such Loan is
[continued][converted]),  as if such representations and warranties were made on
and as of such dates.

                  2.  No  Event  of  Default  or  Default  has  occurred  and is
continuing  or will  exist  on the  date  such  Loan  is  [continued][converted]
(whether before or after such Loan is [continued][converted]).

Acceptance of the proceeds of such [continued][converted] Loan by the Designated
Borrower  shall be deemed to be a further  representation  and warranty that the
representations  and warranties made herein are true and correct in all material
respects at the time of such [continuation] [conversion].

                  Capitalized  terms used but not defined  herein shall have the
respective meanings assigned to them in the Loan Agreement, dated as of February
27, 1997 among Invacare  Corporation,  an Ohio corporation (the "Company"),  the
Borrowing  Subsidiaries  designated therein from time to time (collectively with
the Company, the "Borrowers"),  the banks named therein and you as agent for the
banks.


                              INVACARE CORPORATION


                              By: __________________________________

                              Its: _______________________________


<PAGE>
                                       66

                                    EXHIBIT H

                            ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE

                  Reference is made to the Loan  Agreement  dated as of February
27, 1997 (the "Loan Agreement") among Invacare Corporation,  an Ohio corporation
(the "Company"),  certain Borrowing Subsidiaries designated therein from time to
time (collectively with the Company,  the "Borrowers"),  the banks named therein
(the "Banks") and NBD BANK, as agent for the Banks (the "Agent").  Terms defined
in the Loan Agreement are used herein with the same meaning.

                  The "Assignor"  and the  "Assignee"  referred to on Schedule 1
agree as follows:

                  1. The Assignor hereby sells and assigns (without recourse) to
the Assignee,  and the Assignee hereby  purchases and assumes from the Assignor,
an  interest  in and to the  Assignor's  rights and  obligations  under the Loan
Agreement as of the date hereof equal to the  percentage  interest  specified on
Schedule 1 of all outstanding  rights and obligations  under the Loan Agreement.
After giving effect to such sale and assignment,  the Assignee's Commitments and
the amounts of the Loans owing to the Assignee  will be as set forth on Schedule
1.

                  2. The Assignor  (i)  represents  and warrants  that it is the
legal and  beneficial  owner of the interest  being assigned by it hereunder and
that  such  interest  is free and  clear of any  adverse  claim;  (ii)  makes no
representation  or warranty  and assumes no  responsibility  with respect to any
statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Loan
Agreement or the execution,  legality,  validity,  enforceability,  genuineness,
sufficiency or value of the Loan  Agreement or any other  instrument or document
furnished  pursuant  thereto;  (iii) makes no  representation  or  warranty  and
assumes  no  responsibility  with  respect  to the  financial  condition  of any
Borrower  or  the  performance  or  observance  by  any  Borrower  of any of its
obligations  under  the Loan  Agreement  or any  other  instrument  or  document
furnished  pursuant  thereto;  and (iv)  attaches  the Note or Notes held by the
Assignor and requests that the Agent  exchange such Note or Notes for a new Note
or  Notes  payable  to the  order  of the  Assignee  in an  amount  equal to the
Commitments  assumed by the  Assignee  pursuant  hereto and the  Assignor  in an
amount  equal  to the  Commitments  retained  by the  Assignor  under  the  Loan
Agreement, respectively, as specified on Schedule 1.

                  3. The Assignee  (i)  confirms  that it has received a copy of
the Loan Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred to
in Section 4.6 thereof and such other documents and information as it has deemed
appropriate  to make its own credit  analysis  and  decision  to enter into this
Assignment and Acceptance;  (ii) agrees that it will,  independently and without
reliance  upon the  Agent,  the  Assignor  or any  other  Bank and based on such
documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time,  continue to
make its own  credit  decisions  in taking or not taking  action  under the Loan
Agreement;  (iii) appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such action as agent
on its  behalf  and to  exercise  such  powers  and  discretion  under  the Loan
Agreement as are delegated to the Agent by the terms thereof, together with such
powers and discretion as are reasonably  incidental thereto; (iv) agrees that it
will perform in accordance  with their terms of all of the  obligations  that by
the terms of the Loan  Agreement  are  required to be performed by it as a Bank;
and (v) if the Assignee is organized  under the laws of a  jurisdiction  outside
the United States, attaches the forms prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service
of the United  States  certifying  as to the  Assignee's  status for purposes of
determining  exemption from United States  withholding taxes with respect to all
payments to be made to the Assignee  under the Loan  Agreement  and the Notes or
such other  documents as are  necessary to indicate  that all such  payments are
subject to such taxes at a rate reduced by an applicable tax treaty.
<PAGE>
                                       67

                  4. Following the execution of this  Assignment and Acceptance,
it will be delivered to the Agent for acceptance and recording by the Agent. The
effective date for this Assignment and Acceptance  (the "Effective  Date") shall
be the date of acceptance  hereof by the Agent,  unless  otherwise  specified on
Schedule 1.

                  5. Upon such  acceptance and recording by the Agent, as of the
Effective  Date, (i) the Assignee shall be a party to the Loan Agreement and, to
the extent  provided  in this  Assignment  and  Acceptance,  have the rights and
obligations  of a Bank  thereunder  and (ii) the Assignor  shall,  to the extent
provided  in this  Assignment  and  Acceptance,  relinquish  its  rights  and be
released from its obligations under the Loan Agreement.

                  6. Upon such  acceptance and recording by the Agent,  from and
after the  Effective  Date,  the Agent  shall make all  payments  under the Loan
Agreement and the Notes in respect of the interest  assigned hereby  (including,
without limitation, all payments of principal, interest and commitment fees with
respect  thereto) to the  Assignee.  The Assignor  and  Assignee  shall make all
appropriate  adjustments  in payments under the Loan Agreement and the Notes for
periods prior to the Effective Date directly between themselves.

                  7.This Assignment and Acceptance  shall be governed by, and 
construed in accordance  with, the laws of the State of Michigan.

                  8. This  Assignment  and  Acceptance  may be  executed  in any
number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts,
each of which  when so  executed  shall be deemed to be an  original  and all of
which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an
executed  counterpart  of  Schedule  1 to  this  Assignment  and  Acceptance  by
telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed  counterpart of
this Assignment and Acceptance.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the Assignor and the Assignee have caused
Schedule 1 to this  Assignment  and  Acceptance to be executed by their officers
thereunto duly authorized as of the date specified thereon.


                                   [ASSIGNOR]


                                    BY:______________________________________

                                    ITS:___________________________________



                                   [ASSIGNEE]

                                   BY:______________________________________

                                   ITS:__________________________________

<PAGE>
                                       68

                                    EXHIBIT I


                     SUBROGATION AND CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT


         This  SUBROGATION  AND  CONTRIBUTION  AGREEMENT (as amended or modified
from time to time, this "Agreement") is entered into as of February ___, 1997 by
and among Invacare Corporation (the "Company") and the Guarantors (as defined in
the Loan Agreement  referred to below) and listed on the signature  pages hereof
(the Company and the Guarantors  collectively  referred to as the "Obligors" and
individually,  an  "Obligor")  for the purpose of  establishing  the  respective
rights and  obligations of subrogation  and  contribution  among the Obligors in
connection  with the Loan  Agreement.  Capitalized  terms  used  herein  and not
otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Loan Agreement.


                                    RECITALS

         A. The Company has entered into a Loan  Agreement  dated as of the date
hereof with NBD Bank, as agent, and the Banks referred to therein (as amended or
modified from time to time, the "Loan  Agreement"),  pursuant to which the Banks
have made certain  commitments,  subject to the terms and  conditions  set forth
therein,  to extend credit  facilities to the Company,  and,  subject to certain
terms and  conditions in the Loan  Agreement,  Subsidiaries  of the Company (the
Company  and  such   Subsidiaries   being   collectively   referred  to  as  the
"Borrowers").

         B. Each  Guarantor  has entered  into a Subsidiary  Guaranty  Agreement
dated as of the date hereof in favor of the Agent and the Banks  pursuant to the
Loan  Agreement  (such Guaranty  Agreement,  as amended or modified from time to
time,  the  "Guaranty")  pursuant to which the  Guarantors  have  guaranteed all
obligations of the Borrowers to the Agent and the Banks.

         C. As a result of the transactions  contemplated by the Loan Agreement,
each Obligor will benefit,  directly and  indirectly,  from the  Obligations (as
defined below) and in consideration  thereof desire to enter into this Agreement
to allocate such benefits  among  themselves and to provide a fair and equitable
arrangement to make  contributions when any payment is made by an Obligor of the
Obligations (such payment being referred to herein as a "Contribution").

                                    AGREEMENT

         In  consideration  of the  foregoing  premises  and for other  good and
valuable  consideration,  the  receipt  of which  is  hereby  acknowledged,  the
Obligors hereby agree as follows:

         1.   Contribution.   In  order  to  provide  for  just  and   equitable
contribution  among the  Obligors  in the event any  Contribution  is made by an
Obligor (a "Funding  Obligor")  under the Loan  Agreement,  that Funding Obligor
shall  be  entitled  to a  contribution  from  certain  other  Obligors  for all
payments,  damages and expenses  incurred by that Funding Obligor in discharging
any of the  Obligations,  in the  manner  and to the  extent  set  forth in this
Agreement. The amount of any Contribution under this Agreement shall be equal to
the payment made by the Funding Obligor pursuant to the Loan Agreement and shall
be  determined as of the date on which the such payment is made. As used in this
Agreement,  "Obligations"  shall mean all unpaid  principal  and interest on the
Notes,  all accrued and unpaid fees and all other  obligations  of the Borrowers
and the  Guarantors to the Banks or any Bank or the Agent arising under the Loan
Documents, in each case whether now or hereafter owing.
<PAGE>
                                       69

          2.  Benefit  Amount  Defined.  For  purposes  of this  Agreements  the
"Benefit Amount" of any Obligor as of any date of determination shall be the net
value  of the  benefits  to  such  Obligor  and  all of  its  Subsidiaries  from
extensions  of  credit  made  by the  Banks  to the  Borrowers  under  the  Loan
Agreement;  provided,  that in  determining  the  contribution  liability of any
Obligor which is a Subsidiary to its direct or indirect parent corporation or of
any Obligor to its direct or  indirect  Subsidiary,  the Benefit  Amount of such
Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries,  if any, shall be subtracted in determining the
Benefit  Amount of the parent  corporation.  Such  benefits  (collectively,  the
"Benefits") of any Obligor shall include, without limitation,  benefits of funds
constituting  proceeds  of Loans  which  are  deposited  into the  account  of a
Borrower  by the Banks and which are in turn  advanced  or  contributed  by such
Borrower to such Obligor or any of its  Subsidiaries and used for such Obligor's
or any of its  Subsidiaries'  purposes.  In the case of any proceeds of Loans or
Benefits  advanced  or  contributed  to, or  received  by, a Person  (an  "Owned
Entity") any of the equity  interests of which are owned  directly or indirectly
by an Obligor,  the Benefit Amount of such Obligor with respect thereto shall be
that portion of the net value of the benefits  attributable  to such proceeds of
Loans or Benefits equal to the direct or indirect  percentage  ownership of such
Obligor in its Owned Entity.

         3. Contribution  Obligation.  Each Obligor shall be liable to a Funding
Obligor in an amount  equal to the  greater of (A) the product of (i) a fraction
the  numerator  of  which  is the  Benefit  Amount  of  such  Obligor,  and  the
denominator of which is the total amount of  Obligations  and (ii) the amount of
Obligations  paid by such Funding Obligor and (B) the excess of the fair salable
value of the property of such Obligor over the total liabilities of such Obligor
(including  the maximum amount  reasonably  expected to become due in respect of
contingent liabilities),  as the case may be, determined as of the date on which
the payment by a Funding  Obligor is deemed made for purposes of this  Agreement
(giving effect to all payments made by other Funding Obligors as of much date in
a manner to maximize the amount of such contributions)

         4. Allocation. In the event that at any time there exists more than one
Funding  Obligor  with  respect  to any  Contribution  (in any  such  case,  the
"Applicable  Contribution"),  then payment from other Obligors  pursuant to this
Agreement  shall be allocated  among such Funding  Obligors in proportion to the
total amount of the Contribution made for or on account of the Borrowers by each
such Funding Obligor pursuant to the Applicable Contribution.  In the event that
at any time any Obligor  pays an amount  under this  Agreement  in excess of the
amount calculated pursuant to clause (A) of Section 3 hereof, that Obligor shall
be deemed to be a Funding  Obligor  to the  extent of such  excess  and shall be
entitled to contribution  from the Obligors in accordance with the provisions of
this Agreement.

         5.  Subrogation.  If any  Guarantor  makes a payment  in respect of the
Obligations  it shall be  subrogated  to the  rights  of the payee  against  the
Borrowers  with  respect to such  payment.  Any payments  made  hereunder by any
Borrower shall be credited against amounts payable by such Borrower  pursuant to
any subrogation  rights of the Guarantors which received the payments under this
Agreement.

         6.  Representations  and  Warranties.  Each  Obligor  represents  and 
warrants  to each other  party hereto and to the Banks and the Agent that:

                  (a) the execution, delivery and performance by such Obligor of
this  Agreement  are  within  such  party's  corporate  powers,  have  been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action, require no action by or in respect
of, or filing  with,  any  governmental  body,  agency or  official,  and do not
contravene,  or constitute a default  under,  any provision of applicable law or
regulation  or of the articles of  incorporation  or other  charter  document or
bylaws of such Obligor, or of any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree
or other  instrument  binding  upon such  Obligor,  or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien,  security interest or other charge or encumbrance on any
asset of such Obligor;
<PAGE>
                                       70

                  (b) this  Agreement  constitutes  a legal,  valid and  binding
agreement of such Obligor, enforceable against such party in accordance with its
terms.

                  (c) the Obligors are engaged as an integrated  group; that the
Guarantors  have  requested  that the  Banks  continue  to lend and make  credit
available  to  the  Borrowers  for  the  purpose  of  financing  the  integrated
operations of the Borrowers and the Guarantors,  with each Obligor  expecting to
derive benefit, directly or indirectly, from the loans and other credit extended
by the Banks to the Borrowers, both in each Obligor's separate capacity and as a
member  of the  integrated  group,  inasmuch  as the  successful  operation  and
condition of each Obligor is dependent upon the continued successful performance
of the integrated group as a whole; and

                  (c) Each of the Obligors has determined  that the delivery and
performance  of this  Agreement,  the Guaranty and the other Loan  Documents are
necessary and convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business
of such Obligor and is in furtherance of the corporate purposes of such Obligor.

         7.  Subsidiary  Payment.  The amount of  contribution  payable  under
this  Agreement  by any Obligor shall be reduced by the amount of any 
contribution paid hereunder by a Subsidiary of such Obligor.

         8.  Equitable  Allocation.  If  as  a  result  of  any  reorganization,
recapitalization,  or other corporate change any Obligor,  or as a result of any
amendment, waiver or modification of the terms and conditions governing the Loan
Documents or the Obligations,  or for any other reason, the contributions  under
this Agreement become inequitable, then the parties hereto shall promptly modify
and  amend  this  Agreement  to  provide  for  an  equitable  allocation  of the
contributions.  Any of the foregoing  modifications  and amendments  shall be in
writing and signed by all parties hereto.

     9.  Asset of Party to Which  Contribution  is  Owing.  The  parties  hereto
acknowledge  that the rights to subrogation  and  contribution  hereunder  shall
constitute  an  asset  in  favor of the  party  to  which  such  subrogation  or
contribution is owing.

         10.  Subordination.  No payments payable by any Obligor pursuant to the
terms hereof or otherwise  pursuant to any rights of subrogation,  contribution,
reimbursement,  indemnity or any similar  rights arising under any Loan Document
or otherwise arising by law shall be paid until all Obligations are paid in full
in cash and all Commitments have expired or been terminated.  Nothing  contained
in this Agreement shall affect the Obligations,  the obligation of the Borrowers
to pay the  Obligations,  the  absolute  and  unconditional  obligations  of the
Guarantors to jointly and severally pay the Obligations pursuant to the Guaranty
or any of the other  obligations  of any  party  hereto to the Agent or any Bank
under the Loan Agreement, the Guaranty or any other Loan Document.

         11. Successors and Assigns; Amendments. This Agreement shall be binding
upon each party hereto and its respective successors and assigns and shall inure
to the  benefit  of the  parties  hereto  and their  respective  successors  and
assigns, and in the event of any transfer or assignment of rights by an Obligor,
the rights and privileges herein conferred upon that Obligor shall automatically
extend to and be vested in such transferee or assignee, all subject to the terms
and condition  hereof.  This  Agreement  shall not be amended  without the prior
written consent of the Required Banks.  This Agreement is for the benefit of the
parties  hereto  and for the  benefit  of the  Agent  and the  Banks  and may be
enforced  by any  one,  or more,  or all of them in  accordance  with the  terms
hereof.
<PAGE>
                                       71

     12.  Termination.  This  Agreement  shall remain in effect and shall not be
terminated  until all  Obligations are paid in full in cash, such payment is not
subject to any possibility of revocation or rescission and all Commitments  have
expired or been terminated.

     13. CHOICE OF LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY INSTRUMENT OR AGREEMENT  REQUIRED
HEREUNDER  SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE MADE UNDER,  SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND SHALL BE
CONSTRUED  AND ENFORCED IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH,  THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN
WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS.

     14.  Counterparts.  This  Agreement,  and any  modifications  or amendments
hereto,  may be  executed in any number of  counterparts,  each of which when so
executed and delivered  shall  constitute an original for all purposes,  but all
such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

     15.  Effectiveness.  This Agreement shall become  effective as to any party
upon the execution hereof by such party and delivery of its executed counterpart
to the Agent.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the day and year first written above.

CANYON PRODUCTS CORPORATION                 INVACARE CREDIT CORPORATION

By:____________________________             By:____________________________

         Its:______________________                  Its: ______________________

INVACARE INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION                                 INVACARE HOLDINGS CORPORATION

By:___________________________              By:_____________________________

         Its: ______________________               Its:  _______________________

MOBILITE CORPORATION                        INVATECTION INSURANCE
                                                              COMPANY, INC.

By:__________________________               By:_____________________________

         Its:  ____________________               Its:  _______________________

INVACARE TRADING COMPANY, INC.              INVACARE (DEUTSCHLAND) GMBH

By:___________________________               By:_____________________________

         Its:  _____________________               Its:  ______________________

POIRIER GROUPE INVACARE                     INVACARE CANADA INC.

By:____________________________             By:________________________________

         Its:  ______________________           Its:  __________________________

QUANTRIX CONSULTANTS LIMITED                FROHOCK-STEWART INC.

By:____________________________             By:_______________________________

         Its:  _____________________           Its:  __________________________

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT REPAIR                    PRODUCTION RESEARCH
SERVICES INC.                                        CORPORATION

By:____________________________             By:_______________________________

         Its:  ______________________             Its:_________________________

I.H.H. CORP.                                 INVACARE CORPORATION

By:_____________________________            By: _______________________________

         Its:  ______________________            Its: __________________________


<PAGE>
                                       1

                        FIRST AMENDMENT TO NOTE AGREEMENT


         THIS FIRST  AMENDMENT  TO NOTE  AGREEMENT,  dated as of March 20,  1997
(this  "Amendment"),  is among INVACARE  CORPORATION,  and Ohio corporation (the
"Company"),  and the  holders of the Notes as set forth on the  signature  pages
hereof (collectively, the "Note Holders").


                                    RECITALS

     A. The Company and the Note Holders are parties to a Note Agreement,  dated
as of February 1, 1993,  (as now and hereafter  amended,  the "Note  Agreement")
pursuant to which the Company  authorized,  issued and sold  $25,000,000  of its
7.45%  Senior  Notes and the Note  Holders  purchased,  subject to the terms and
conditions thereof.

     B. The Company desires to amend the Note Agreement and the Note Holders are
willing to do so strictly in accordance with the terms hereof.


                                      TERMS

         In  consideration  of the premises and of the mutual  agreement  herein
contained, the parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1.  AMENDMENTS.  Upon  fulfillment  of the  conditions  set forth in 
Article 3 hereof,  the Note  Agreement  shall be amended as follows:

     1.1   Section  5.7  shall  be  amended  by  deleting   the   reference   to
"$85,000,0000" and inserting "$150,000,000" in place thereof.

     1.2  Section  5.8(a)(3)(i)  shall be  deleted  and the  following  shall be
inserted in place thereof:

     (i) Consolidated Debt shall not exceed 65% of Consolidated  Capitalization,
increasing  to 68% on the date in which  the  Company  or any of its  Restricted
Subsidiaries   acquires  at  least  51%  of  the  capital  stock  of  Healthdyne
Technologies,  Inc., a Georgia  corporation  and  decreasing  to 65% on the date
which is fifteen  (15) months  after the date in which the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries acquires at least 51% of the capital stock of Healthdyne
Technologies, Inc., and

     1.3 Section  5.8(a)(3)(ii)  clause (B) shall be deleted  and the  following
shall be inserted in place thereof:

     (B) all Debt of all Restricted  Subsidiaries (other than Debt of Restricted
Subsidiaries  permitted  by  clause  (4)  below,  and  all  Debt  of  Restricted
Subsidiaries  listed on Annex B to Exhibit B hereto,  and all Debt of Healthdyne
Technologies, Inc. outstanding on the date of the merger into the Company or any
of its Restricted  Subsidiaries  in the maximum amount of $35,000,000  including
any  refinances  thereof  and listed on Annex  B(i) to  Exhibit B hereto,  to be
delivered to the Note Holders within fourteen (14) days after such merger) shall
not exceed 15% of Consolidated Capitalization; or

     1.4 Section  5.12(i)  shall be amended by deleting  the "and" at the end of
this section.

<PAGE>
                                       2

     1.5 Section  5.12(j)  shall be amended by  replacing  the "." at the end of
clause (ii) with "; and" and adding a new section 5.12(k) to read as follows:

                  5.12(k)  Investments  by the Company or any of its  Restricted
                  Subsidiaries  in the shares of Common  Stock,  par value $0.01
                  per share, of Healthdyne Technologies, Inc. and the associated
                  Preferred  Stock Purchase Rights issued pursuant to the Rights
                  Agreement,  dated  as of  May  22,  1995,  between  Healthdyne
                  Technologies, Inc. and Trust Company Bank, as Rights Agent, in
                  accordance   with  the  Securities  and  Exchange   Commission
                  Schedule 14D-1 Tender Offer  Statement dated January 27, 1997,
                  together with any amendments or supplements thereto.

ARTICLE 2.  REPRESENTATIONS.   The Company represents and warrants to the Note 
Holders that:

     2.1 The execution,  delivery,  and  performance of this Amendment is within
its powers,  has been duly authorized and is not in contravention  with any law,
of the terms of its Articles of Incorporation or By-laws,  or any undertaking to
which it is a party or by which it is bound.

     2.2 This  amendment  is the  legal,  valid and  binding  obligation  of the
Company enforceable against it in accordance with the terms hereof.

     2.3  After  giving  effect  to  the  amendments   herein   contained,   the
representations  and  warranties  contained in Section 3.1 of the Note Agreement
are true on and as of the date  hereof with the same force and effect as if made
on and as of the date hereof.

     2.4 No Event of Default or any event or  condition  which  might  become an
Event of Default with notice or lapse of time,  or both,  exists or has occurred
and is continuing on the date hereof.




ARTICLE 3.  CONDITIONS OF  EFFECTIVENESS.  This  Amendment  shall not become  
effective  until each of the following has been satisfied:

     3.1 This  Amendment  shall be signed by the Company and the  required  Note
Holders.


ARTICLE 4.  MISCELLANEOUS.

     4.1  References  in  the  Note  Agreement  or  in  any  note,  certificate,
instrument,  or other  document  to the "Note  Agreement"  shall be deemed to be
references to the Note Agreement as amended  hereby and as further  amended from
time to time.

     4.2 The Company  acknowledges  and agrees that the Note  Holders have fully
performed all of their  obligations  under all documents  executed in connection
with the Note Agreement and all actions taken by the Note Holders are reasonable
and appropriate  under the  circumstances and within their rights under the Note
Agreement and all other documents executed in connection therewith and otherwise
available.  The  Company  represents  and  warrants  that it is not aware of any
claims or causes of action against any Note Holder,  or any of their  successors
or assigns.

<PAGE>
                                       3
     4.3 Except as expressly  amended  hereby,  the Company agrees that the Note
Agreement,  the  Notes  and all  other  documents  executed  by the  Company  in
connection  with the Note Agreement in favor of any Note Holder are ratified and
confirmed  and shall remain in full force and effect and that is has no set off,
counterclaim  or  defense  with  respect  to the  foregoing.  Terms used but not
defined herein shall have the respective  meanings  ascribed thereto in the Note
Agreement.

     4.4 This Amendment may be signed upon any number of  counterparts  with the
same  effect  as if the  signatures  thereto  and  hereto  were  upon  the  same
instrument.


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties signing this Amendment have caused this
Amendment to be executed and delivered as of March 20, 1997.


                              INVACARE CORPORATION

                              By: /S/ Thomas R. Miklich
                              ---------------------------
                              Its Chief Financial Officer
                              ---------------------------

                      PACIFIC MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                              By: /S/ W.R. Schmidt
                              -----------------------------
                              Its  Assistant Vice President
                              -----------------------------

                      AMERICAN UNITED LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                              By: /S/ Christopher D. Pahlke
                              ---------------------------------------
                              Its  Vice President, Private Placements
                              ----------------------------------------

                     ROYAL MACCABEES LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                               By:/S/ Leonard D. Davenport, CFA
                               --------------------------------
                               Its  Vice President - RIMCO
                               --------------------------------

                     ROYAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
                               
                               By:/S/ Leonard D. Davenport, CFA
                               --------------------------------
                               Its  Vice President - RIMCO
                               --------------------------------
                              

                    ROYAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                               By:/S/ Leonard D. Davenport, CFA
                               --------------------------------
                               Its  Vice President - RIMCO
                               --------------------------------



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