def statistics options = {}
start = options.delete(:start_time)
stop = options.delete(:end_time)
options[:namespace] = namespace
options[:metric_name] = metric_name
options[:dimensions] = dimensions unless dimensions.empty?
options[:start_time] = start.respond_to?(:iso8601) ? start.iso8601 : start
options[:end_time] = stop.respond_to?(:iso8601) ? stop.iso8601 : stop
options[:period] ||= 60
resp = client.get_metric_statistics(options)
MetricStatistics.new(self, resp[:label], resp[:datapoints])
end